It's so much drama in the LBC, it's kinda hard to read a post in fuckin' peace. But, I - somehow some way - find an interesting thread in this forum like every couple days. May, I...

Anyway, too many of the posts in here are negative. Post about something you like, tell us *WHY* YOU like it. What does it mean to you? Where are you at in your life? What does this artist/song/album do (EXACTLY) that most artists/songs/albums don't?

This thread can be great. Let's go!

I've been listening to a lot of Wilson lately and even though I know just about all of these songs already it's like discovering a new artist all over again because it's been a while since I've listened to this many of his albums consecutively. His voice just works perfect for a variety of occasions. Romantic vibe..check...funky dance tune...check..heartfelt begging chick record...double check. He sings for the ladies but he manages to do so in a way that makes the male listener want to be him as a "man's man" type of singer. And of course Stax had the sickest house band laying down the grooves.

it made me realize that dude is prolly one
of my 6 or 7 fav male r&b singers

Because he is unapologetically in his lane. The stuff he makes is mood music. Its is awesome for what it is even if its not 'for everybody' or even for all of the time listening. I miss the days where MOST MAJOR cats made music that had a feel to it instead of trying to make something that 'everyone' would like or stuff that strictly pandered to the top 40 if you will. Sure, if the stuff you makes becomes popular, then by all means...roll with it for a while if you feel good about it (Drake/Wayne/Kanye/etc). But when people got to the point where the pandering came before the idea of 'make something good'...ehhh...Curren$y says 'eff that' and keeps on churning out the mood music and I support the hell out of that.

Big KRIT: Same reasons. And he's a more 'soulful' type of rapper. I miss that sometimes too.

Classic H-Town rap music: same reasons as Curren$y. That stuff...Pimpin Anthem, 25 Lighters, Pimpin the Pen, Swang, ESG stuff, UGK's first 3 albums, June 27th. All amazing for what it is even if hearing Pimpin Anthem every day isn't a necessity. All of it stands up well years later. I hadn't seen pure joy in a while until I saw a room full of 30 year old folks, male and female, going all karaoke on Pimpin Anthem.

Watch The Throne: Its a bold move for those dudes to get together and even try to make an album. There is high standards for their solo works. Kanye is known as being outlandish about what he wants. And..oh yeah, JayZ is old as hell with two careers worth of stuff in the can already. And he's about to be pops. And folks are amped to hate on them both. And the expectations were going to be silly. As would be the hype if the album was anywhere between decent and great. I honestly feel like they landed well into the good even if I can WTF a few things about the album. There's some mighty shit-talking, jamming SONGS, and well-above the norm production values. Its works for me. New Day, Primetime, Niggas in Paris, The Joy mastered, etc. And since I have 28k songs, its not like I can't listen to something else and go back to it a few months from now.

Unsung: Almost every episode forced me to rediscover or reach out for some songs. New Horizons (Sylvers) is one of my favorite songs this year and its a 30 year old song. I can listen to it 4 times in a row on the way to work. I put together a house-party mix and had Misdemeanor going into Funky Enough before going an hour straight with West Coast classics..jamming! ECK's I'm in Love...more jamming..I hadn't paid attention to that song in years. PFunk, Bootsy, OP, Spinners etc, etc...on and on.

"If you were with me now!" - my man Alexander O'Neal, with his "Bobby Brown jaw"-having ass.

"You just wanna luv her! You just gotta **** her yeah!" Everyone I play for thinks he's saying 'fuck' her. Who knows...

Jimaveli: I gotta live my liiiiiiife! OOOOOOOOOOO!

>It's so much drama in the LBC, it's kinda hard to read a post
>in fuckin' peace. But, I - somehow some way - find an
>interesting thread in this forum like every couple days. May,
>I...
>
>Anyway, too many of the posts in here are negative. Post about
>something you like, tell us *WHY* YOU like it. What does it
>mean to you? Where are you at in your life? What does this
>artist/song/album do (EXACTLY) that most artists/songs/albums
>don't?
>
>This thread can be great. Let's go!

>Watch The Throne: Its a bold move for those dudes to get
>together and even try to make an album. There is high
>standards for their solo works. Kanye is known as being
>outlandish about what he wants. And..oh yeah, JayZ is old as
>hell with two careers worth of stuff in the can already. And
>he's about to be pops. And folks are amped to hate on them
>both. And the expectations were going to be silly. As would be
>the hype if the album was anywhere between decent and great. I
>honestly feel like they landed well into the good even if I
>can WTF a few things about the album. There's some mighty
>shit-talking, jamming SONGS, and well-above the norm
>production values. Its works for me. New Day, Primetime,
>Niggas in Paris, The Joy mastered, etc. And since I have 28k
>songs, its not like I can't listen to something else and go
>back to it a few months from now.

I mean here we are in a what DO you like post, and with all the non-hip-hop
left field shit I'm into, my first thought was Watch The Throne. Like, out of the
context of all of the Love to Hate and Hate to Love Jay & Kanye respectively,
I actually really just like that album. I don't even analyze it. I just like playing it.
Its a fun record, highly listenable (just gotta skip Made In America)
And I had NO expectations for it at all.

Lately been getting into Bill Evans. Familiar with Kind of Blue, of course, and had a Gary Mcfarland album where Bill Evans was the featured soloist, but I had never dug into his solo work or career before.

Hearing a few tracks here and there on youtube led me to read his bio on some jazz websites, then suddenly I noticed him everywhere: as a sideman in albums I was listening to, someone (Austin) playing his tracks in mumu/thelisteningroom, etc. I don't look for 'signs,' not being a believer in that sort of thing, but I try to stay receptive to synchronicity if it's appropriate, music is an area where 'magic' is acceptable.

At any rate, something about Bill Evans has caught my interest sufficiently for me to suddenly notice him to a greater degree than before. The music is already geared towards my tastes on the one hand, but there's something in his personality coming through the music that is quite moving, somewhere between quiet, melancholic, joyous, esoteric, introverted. Bio-wise, I appreciate the conflict between his devotion to music and his apparent insecurities.

Enjoying reading more extensively about him and his music, it's nice when you discover something that catches your imagination, even if you're not entirely sure how or to what extent it will impact you. I'm not really capable of elevating others to the position of "hero," but I do draw inspiration from the works, words, and lives of others, and so in that regard Bill Evans speaks to me at the moment.

For Kind of Blue.....the piano on 'all blues' is the highlight of the whole album to me. It's like a beehive of activity and dissonance. The piano is a 'noise maker' instead of a conventional instrument. And those early chord hits when Miles starts his one note solo thing? Outta this world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t64Y6e2Zwa0&feature=related

I very much like the idea of ambiguity in chords/keys, beauty in dissonance, and I like space, Evans pulls these things off well. But also seems good at adapting to a variety of situations, lest paint him too much into a box.

This might be an extremely worthwhile endeavor for you: http://www.amazon.com/Bill-Evans-How-Heart-Sings/dp/0300097271/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1317232724&sr=8-2

~Austin

reading it right now, actually --- also partly because of your endorsement in another post! thank you

I don't know if you've seen this doc or not, as it appears in bits/pieces in several places on youtube, but I came across (and watched) a complete version of "The Universal Mind of Bill Evans" today, about 45 min comprised mostly of a conversation between Bill Evans and his brother Harry, also a musician/educator as you're probably aware.

At any rate, I recalled this being referenced in How My Heart Sings, and upon watching it I recognized so many stretches of conversation that I realize it was quoted fairly extensively therein. Worthwhile to see in its entirety, a lot of insightful and intelligent commentary, a condensed summation of his approach to music at the time. His brother as foil appears to make it particularly relaxed; it's hard to imagine any other interviewer saying (paraphrasing), "now Bill I want you to sit at the piano and play exactly as I tell you" and the artist readily deferring. Interspersed with unnecessary bits of Steve Allen reiterating points discussed therein, presumably to make it more accessible - these parts are not overwhelmingly offensive, they just are clearly forced into (and break up the flow of) what is an already fascinating conversation.

I think the musical observations may be of general interest, not just to those familiar with Bill Evans. Lots on creative processes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nsnh21ae6YI

I could listen to it 100 times a day & not get tired. http://youtu.be/8Fhd689Pwak

(and birds sing sweeter
than books
tell how)

good stuff, I agree!!!

I've been listening to a variety, particularly the Village Vanguard set, which reveals more as I grow accustomed to the tunes, but that's sort of obvious. Got the Cannonball Adderly collab Know What I Mean, but not much time to give good, repeated listens the way I'd like yet.

. . .but thank you for bringing it up anyway.

Another good Cannonball/Bill collaborative album is Portrait of Cannonball. Worth it for the original recordings of 'Nardis.'
http://www.allmusic.com/album/portrait-of-cannonball-r134297

Are you familiar with the Last Waltz and Consecration box sets? They are literally the last recordings made of Bill. Deep stuff (each set is eight discs), but some very rewarding renditions of some of his most well know tunes. Seems a bit of a mistake to recommend such seemingly heavy material right off the bat, but I would really suggest anyone interested in who Bill Evans was, what he did that was so special and why it was so important to at least preview those sets.
http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-last-waltz-r502002/review
http://www.allmusic.com/album/consecration-milestone-r605812/review

EDIT:
Meant to ask, are you an Andrew Hill fan?

~Austin

Not familiar with those sets except by reputation; I also felt early for me to be getting into something so comprehensive while still absorbing the 'classics,' so to speak, but I take your recommendation to heart and will keep it in mind. I'm also trying to move *roughly* chronologically, touching some of the more widely celebrated releases and then filling in gaps as desired, and so am still floating around (relatively) earlier stuff. Next I mean to get Undercurrent and Conversations with Myself, but I've been meaning to get those for awhile. I will likely get distracted by something else, eventually, so I have to acquire as much as my interest encourages before fading. I suspect I will keep coming back over time, given the size of the catalogue.

I don't think I'm familiar with Andrew Hill except as a sideman, it seems like I've heard stuff *around* him in the early 60s, thinking (possibly incorrectly) of Bobby Hutcherson, Eric Dolphy blue note releases which may have involved him to some degree. I know I have looked at Point of Departure on more than one occasion, thinking, "I still haven't heard this," and it remains true today. I have heard isolated tracks.

How about Oliver Nelson? Kind of just getting into him, via Blues and the Abstract Truth, want to hear more.

The best part is: you can enroll or withdraw at your own speed and you will lose nothing in the interim.

Point of Departure is a good starting point for Andrew Hill. I only ask because he has a lot of Bill Evans' tonal influence in his playing (though he is a bit more avant garde-leaning at times — maybe you'd like him because of that?). He did play on a lot of Blue Note stuff in the mid-60's (Bobby Hutcherson's Dialogue is a memorable one where he was sideman).

To be honest, the only Oliver Nelson I have is Blues and the Abstract Truth. And that's only because Bill and Eric are on it, haha. Fantastic album though, for sure.

Sidebar to the sidebar of the sidebar: Ahmad Jamal's excellent rendition of 'Stolen Moments' (originally from Blues and the Abstract Truth, of course): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HClD5wy7K5s

~Austin

I'm personally not a big fan of Bill Evans even if I appreciate his influence, playing and ideas; it's more the temperament of his music and his general group-concept I find off-putting. Anyway, he was an obvious influence on Hill (and Hancock).

Anyway, I wrote two reviews on Amazon for my two favourite Hill-albums: "Andrew!" and "Judgement". HIGHLY recommended albums. As for "Point of departure", it's great of course but SLIGHTLY overrated in the context of Hill's 60's catalog; it has Dolphy and Tony Williams which is a big plus of course but I find the band a bit too "big" and the arrangements a bit overworked-I prefer Hill in somewhat sparser settings (not TOO sparse though, I prefer him with a band than totally solo).

If we are talking about underrated piano-players, be sure to check out Herbie Nichols whose 50's recordings on Blue Note (you can find them collected) was also a big influence on the more tonally/chordally "ambigous" post-bop piano-playing that followed. Killer pianist and right up my alley; he was inspired by Monk but also a bit more "light" and airy without losing the intensity or swing...

Thank you for the recommendations on these Andrew Hill albums in particular; adding them to my wishlist. I give credence to your commentary which always seems well-informed and considered.

I think I can understand why someone wouldn't like Bill Evans in terms of tone/character but I find your mentioning of his 'group-concept' interesting and perhaps unique - do you mean the sort of collective ebb/flowing of improvisation versus more traditional chorus structure?

That IkeMoses dude might kill me for this but much of my favorite jazz from the late-50's-early 60's is stuff like Mingus and (pre-avantgarde era-he didn't really get weird until later with some exceptions) Sun Ra; artists that were going beyond the somewhat generic head-solos-head structure and instead were looking back to big band music in terms of arrangements and structure but mixing that with more collective improvisation and a more "modern" tonal language.

No, my problem with Evans group-concept is that the collective improvisation seems to aim more for a chamber-music/classical informed style rather than an update of the New Orleans/early jazz-approach. This is of course related to the temperament but it also comes through in the nature of the interplay and the note-choices.

Because of that, the music was obviously very important in helping shaping many of the ideas that the ECM-guys and Keith Jarrett etc. would run with later and while I like those ideas as a *spice* in more "hot" jazz, I find much of this music not really to my liking; it's a bit too impressionistic and "floating" for my tastes (I won't call it "too white" because that's a cliche that's not really true-several of the other musicians who helped shape this approach in the 40's-50's were black)...

Okay, I understand. This perhaps isn't too far removed from the general criticisms against 'west coast'. Here it clarifies for me that the harmonic language may have more to do with the distinction between hot/cool than simply the degree of improvisation or arrangement, which seems obvious in some ways but I don't know that it was as clear to me before given some of the arguments/discussions I've read. Which isn't to say that passionate improvisation doesn't provide a lot of 'heat,' but I've had trouble reconciling it with the exceptions afforded to what seemed to me very controlling composers like Mingus, or even that Davis can at times be so introverted and still escape the same fate of labeling (I recognize the diversity of his recordings plays a part, and that works like Sketches of Spain still have plenty of detractors).

It's a bit tangential, but I'm able to be excited by these various strands (hot/cool) simultaneously and so find the divide disheartening, so deeply ingrained as to sometimes appear like an inherited bias - although I don't necessarily get this impression from you given your recognition of the influence.

This album: http://www.discogs.com/Bill-Evans-George-Russell-Orchestra-Living-Time/master/304616

It's Bill's "free" album.

It's rather good.

~Austin

http://austintayeshus.blogspot.com
http://www.last.fm/user/Austintayeshus
http://twitter.com/Austintayeshus

>I prefer Hill in somewhat sparser settings (not TOO
>sparse though, I prefer him with a band than totally solo).
>

And, fuck yeah for Herbie Nichols.

MOTHERFUCK YEAH, even.

~Austin

http://austintayeshus.blogspot.com
http://www.last.fm/user/Austintayeshus
http://twitter.com/Austintayeshus

http://youtu.be/Nsnh21ae6YI
enjoy!

yeah, I watched it a few months back, edit: but I appreciate your mentioning it because it would have definitely made my day! I realized in watching it how many of those quotes actually worked their way into the biography (how my heart sings), but it was still beneficial to see/hear them first-hand; I only wish there were more docs like this of artists pontificating interspersed with playing.

>I only wish there were more docs like this of
>artists pontificating interspersed with playing.

i really enjoyed this, but it's not exactly what you're talking about (certainly not particularly intellectual): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyrobAZ-Eek

I've been a miles fan most of my life, own all of the "major" albums (kind of blue, sketches of spain, on the corner, bitches brew, in a silent way, miles ahead, round about midnight, at the plugged nickel, etc.) but last week i put down $240 bucks for the box set (a pretty good deal for 52 albums plus a dvd).

anyways, i was blown away by how much incredible music i had never heard before. albums that i never gave a passing look before, like the compilation "directions", are full of so much incredible stuff it knocks me out. i can't say enough about this box set, i would recommend it to anyone with ears, it's just SO GOOD.

Sounds cool. I've considered it but never dropped the dough. Maybe I will if its as great as you say. I mean, obviously I have the essential Miles albums, but wasn't sure about the whole set.

http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-complete-columbia-album-collection-r1818592

Because, if so, that thing is a total *STEAL* $240!

I'm actually surprised it was so cheap. . .

~Austin

I recently got this "Perfect Miles Davis Collection" set which is almost like a condensed version of the "Complete Columbia Recordings," only twenty albums but the trade-off being the price (third-party sellers on amazon around $40). http://amzn.to/Oqttid

Packaging-wise the individual sleeves within the hard box are slightly below the 'mini-LP' cardboard sleeves that you get with some Japanese CD reissues, but better than the cardboard sleeves you get with 'Original Album Classics' or 'Proper Box' sets (no plastic/paper envelope, but smooth insides so small risk of scratching from typical handling). A booklet containing brief liners for each of the albums. From what I gather the discs are what you would have gotten with the standard issues, so they may have whatever bonus tracks are typically on those but not, for instance, all of the studio chatter and live stuff on the Kind of Blue Deluxe.

Was a good deal because, although overlapped some with my existing collection it would be a LONG time before I got around to hearing all twenty of what was included, some of it perhaps never. Great for someone like myself who still has a lot of learning/listening to go. There are omissions, but cheaper relative to the complete Columbia set, plus I like the immersion.

Round About Midnight
Miles Ahead
1958 Miles
Porgy and Bess
Kind of Blue
Sketches of Spain
Someday My Prince Will Come
Seven Steps to Heaven
Miles In Berlin
E.S.P.
Miles Smiles
Nefertiti
Filles de Kilimanjaro
In a Silent Way
Bitches Brew
Tribute to Jack Johnson
On the Corner
We Want Miles
Star People
Decoy

harpsichords. i love the sound itself and the nimble melodies played on them.

country. lately i've been enjoying the funny, down home, stark, and honest lyrics, good vocal harmonies, and occasional instrumental solos on country radio.

http://i54.tinypic.com/erap78.gif

And I love the engineering/the sound of those recordings. Like your in the room when you listen.

>And I love the engineering/the sound of those recordings.
>Like your in the room when you listen.
Milt Jackson!

so many styles of music.

A lot of what I love comes from the 70s, the majority is soul and funk, but there are also isolated songs from some genres that I don't care for that much that can hit very strongly.

I'm more of a sound over lyrics type of person and it is the music itself that speaks to me first and foremost.

was a beastly guitar player
got the dopest string arrangements on his albums
and had a dope voice

RIP

SBTRKT
Toro y Moi
Little Dragon

I have been enjoying these albums.

Good looks on the reccos.

Kinda lost track of him after Bottle of Humans, so i really don't have a career perspective on him. But this new shit is nice. Going for a contemporary sound without compromising. Plus he got LIL B on that shit!

Pretty much anything Daru Jones does. He's been drumming for the likes of Kweli,Black Moon and others for a while but I think he's one of the best producers out there right now,and if I could rap or sing I would definitely be banging his door down. I'll share a few examples .

"You're Gonna Be Right They're": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rkr_74EGRyU

"Things You Do": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NffJXor3Ksk

"Ghurl" : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1p6b5BlFyVo

Chef feat. Ray Burton "Chef Love": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJVHWKJZQdw

"Please" w/ Kissey Asplund: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP2q9H9EOrc

+ you can find most of his music here for FREE: http://darujones.bandcamp.com/

...FIRRRRRRRRRE!!!!

but i really hate when people sample samples (specially from dilla dawg). and either he sampled it from dilla or went out his way to sample TWO records dilla did on the same beat

smh

>"Please" w/ Kissey Asplund:
>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP2q9H9EOrc

I wasn't really into their sound back when they started, but they have become such a great label in the past years.

GREAT POST

Seeing SADE and PRINCE "Live" this year.

...Made me apprecite music and people all over again. The diverse crowd and how it was "LOVE" all over the place. The good vibe just gave me musical energy all over again.

Great post and responses...#ONE

some chickenhead took me to see these guys a few weeks ago at the academy of music in philadelphia

without ever really listening to their music, I was pleasantly hooked and have been listening to them non stop for the last few weeks.


lurkin since 1999. werd.

I had someone tell me recently that my blog is good, but not all that interesting, because I give 95% of the things I talk about a good review.

It was really pretty puzzling to me.

Because #1) I am just bombarded all the time with MUSIC. Especially since living alone. I just internalize it and think about it constantly. MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC. When it's good, I get so much out of it. Why dwell on the negative?

#2) It's my fucking blog, I'll talk about what the hell I want. Haha.

I don't know man. It just really bothered me. Why am I being criticized for being positive? It's not like I update three times a day. I do maybe one post per week, and in that time, I'm way more interested in talking about the goodness.

To answer the initial post: Fleet Foxes and, more recently, Canterbury bands. Always loved Fleet Foxes, but ever since I saw them live a month ago, it's just come completely into focus just how incredibly good they are at what they do. As far as Canterbury bands, yeah. Jazz rock at its best. I've been venturing that way for a bit now, but hey. All things in time, right?

Good topic. I thoroughly approve.

~Austin

Their music is just beautifully sad

. . .I'd *really* like to get more into them.

All I have is the roller coaster album — what do you recommend?

~Austin

ocean beach. down colorful hill. medicine bottle is my fav song by them.....its on down colorful hill....amazing song

for a band that's been releasing music since the mid-90's it's good to know they still are driven to make new and original and quality music and they seem to actually enjoy each other's company.

the roots ought to be a role model for any new band of any genre of how to maintain their artistic integrity and still be able to be commercially sustainable.

Music doesn't get a lot better for me than Shokichi Kina & Champloose; in particular their live album CHAMPLOO! is one doozy of a listen start to finish. Okinawan pop mixes in the traditional sanshin (local version of the Japanese mainland's shamisen, this one is gentler sounding and uses snakeskin instead of leather or dogskin), vocal techniques, and kakigoe (II-IIYASASA) background vocals with rock instrumentation. The vibe at its livest can be like a folk version of 3d wave ska, but also with mellower moments (Kina's Red Puppy album).

Here's Kina performing the quintessential Okinawan pop song, his Haisai Ojisan (previous covered by YMO's *edit* Makoto Kubota, not Harry Hosono, to international acclaim, and also covered since by eclectic not-quite-supergroup French Frith kaiser Thompson): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIW_yeZMxtM - 3:31 of insanity on wax.

EDIT: here's a '90s live version that sums it al up a bit better... actually, it's fucking insane, and even if you clicked on the first one and didn't like it, check this one out. And if you haven't clicked on the upper one yet, click on this one first anyway: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc1j356uIbM&feature=related

this might actually be this first time I ever heard Kina's music... I remember catching a bit of a live show on TV in 1995 and having no idea who he was and not catching it from the program, then only putting the pieces together later after I'd been re-hipped to his music through other means.

That live record (CHAMPLOO!) is basically 75 minutes of this kinda stuff with a few slow songs thrown in. It's fucking great.
My interest in Okinawan pop grew out of an interest in mainland Japanese roots rock, and a lot of mainland bands used Kina's blueprint in forming their own sounds, especially in the wake of the Boom's massive 'Shima Uta' in 1992 or so: Shang Shang Typhoon, Bo Gumbos, Soul Flower Union, Zelda, Shisars, etc.

Other major Okinawan acts, while all worth checking out, never quite strike the balance that Kina does at his best. I've found several either cross the line into cheese (Rinken Band's bad synths overwhelm me despite their insanely catchy melodies) or adhere too closely to the traditional styles. That said, the Rough Guide to Okinawa (as well as its predecessor Rough Guide to the Music of Japan) is an excellent listen and several of hte bands featured have a lot of promise - if only it didn't cost $30+ to get their CDs on import.

bumbaclot

The Roots- Undun
RJD2 b/k/a The Insane Warrior- We Are The Doorways
Little Dragon- Ritual Union
Reks- R.E.K.S.
Incubus- If Not Now, When?
Blueprint- Adventures in Counterculture
Icebird- The Abandoned Lullaby
Phonte- Charity Starts at Home
Radiohead- The King of Limbs
Thundercat- The Golden Age of Apocalypse
Tune-Yards- W H O K I L L

I've never been one to be overly political - nor do I think Joe
or Chuck are overly political ( though right now they seem like it because there
seems to be absolutely NOBODY talking about real shit any more) There I go. Sorry.
I just wonder why there aren't voices like these guys any more? Where did that punk
rock attitude go? I mean Joe Strummer is Hip-Hop and Chuck D is Punk Rock,
if you know what I mean. That's a sort of measurement I use to judge just
about all art. Does it have that edge to it?
Which nowadays only those of us aware of older Hip-Hop even thnk
of it as something of a counter-culture or dare-I-say revolutionary,
because its SO far removed from that moment.

Joe and Chuck had that fuck you attitude, but they were sharp,
intelligent, powerful voices with real urgency. That's what I like. Dylan is Dylan.
He's one in a million and he's an elusive character. Similarly KRS personality
gets in the way of his message. Well, maybe his message gets in the way of
his message. Either way, as much as I love KRS, he can be didactic and
downright incoherent.

But Joe Strummer and Chuck D
were real people and made themselves accessible by having radio shows.
They both had that rare thing that seems to be missing in music and politics
these days: INTEGRITY

IS it a coincidence that both rock n roll and hip-hop are so soft right now?
I can't even tell which is softer! The thing I don't get about the "hipster"
thing, is that you can't even call it anything. Its not a movement, its not
even about music, its about an aesthetic that is totally transparent and
available for anybody to flock to. There's something so soft about that
too. UGH here I go complaining again. I just find it odd that in this
internet age where there is so much freedom and so many ways to
express one's self, its seems to me that conformity has never been more
limpid. Anyway. . My thoughts are scattered.

The Clash always have and always will be my favorite band of all time.
I play their records all the time. Not only because I love them, but because I feel
a lot of it sounds new still - and by that I mean a lot of bands now are so
derivative that I rather just go hear the real thing.

But as far as PE goes, i mean, I WISH I could say there was something out there now
that was derivative of them, but there's not, not even close. I think that's weird man.
Don't you guys think that's weird? I think Rising Down was probably the only album
that made me think of PE since Lets Get Free. (Or I guess Game Theory)

But I'm not just talking about being political for the sake of it - no one likes that-
I'm talking about making powerful music that stands for something. Who is really
doing that?

I know this is all over the place. I always loved The CLash but its not until somewhat
recently, last few years, that I got really into Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros
and his other solo stuff. Maybe I was resistant to it for a while 'cause it seemed
like Diet The Clash to me or something - maybe I'm getting older - but Joe made some fantastic music later in his life.
Too bad he passed so young.

As for Chuck, well he's alive and well and always representing. There should be a
statue of him somewhere. He is one of the true knights of Hip-Hop.

and this has been I like Joe Strummer and I like Chuck D by L.E.S.

I'm sure if it wasn't 2 a.m. and I hadn't had a few beers and watched the Knicks
lose miserably to Golden State I could have written a profound comparative
praise of Joe and Chuck. But, well, y'all already know. I hope.

first of all, it's funny how perspective is shaped by recent experience, providing a one-of-a-kind frame of reference for the person. the way you appreciate something is shaped by something else you experienced recently.

i've been a fan of layered vocals for a long time. i really respect the extra effort put into recording doubled and tripled vocals and writing harmony parts. i remember making a topic asking about marvin gaye's vocal influences because i was just amazed at his technique. likewise, i got a lot of mileage out of liz fraser's incredibly intricate vocal parts on cocteau twins' 'heaven or las vegas' album last year (i've listened to their albums out of order over the course of the last decade... it happens). lately i've been bumpin' dat mountain man album (props to lonesome_d). as spare as it is, there's plenty to listen for in the way these women harmonize. today i watched the making of nirvana's 'nevermind' album in the "classic albums" series (http://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=5&topic_id=2708327&mesg_id=2708327&page=7), which was great. i took a keen interest in butch vig breaking down the separate tracks of each song, including those background vocals. i've heard the singles on this album probably hundreds of times, so for me to get something new out of them is significant. lately i have been obsessing over the background vocals on tori amos' 'scarlet's walk' album (http://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=5&topic_id=2605317&mesg_id=2605317&listing_type=search). for her to conceive of those disparate but complexly intertwining parts and record them all herself with such range and emotion just blows me away.

conversely, giving this amount of attention to appreciating additional vocal parts, i can also appreciate the rawness and directness of not having them. "even when i say nothing, it's a beautiful use of negative space."

I just picked up the first Kingston Trio album at a thrift store sale yesterday and it's blown me away. Mostly on the basis that that was 1958 and they were recording live in the studio. Those group vocals are just insanely good.

You may be interested in the vocal overdubbing on this: http://www.hulkshare.com/2kf1c5lak4u8

(Judee Sill 'The Donor' which hulkshare seems to have taken the liberty to pitch down for you)

It obviously influenced this pretty heavily: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-SVE8ox8O4

(which I know you're not necessarily a fan of, but that great intro vamp remains)

~Austin

http://austintayeshus.blogspot.com
http://www.last.fm/user/Austintayeshus
http://twitter.com/Austintayeshus

though of course 'San Miguel' is one of the greatest songs ever, if it's on the record.

If it's not: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3t5knRANfMY

My dad has a story about being in a diner where some poor heartbroken dude played that over and over until the owner pulled the plug on the jukebox.

You got a problem, buddy?

~Austin

http://austintayeshus.blogspot.com
http://www.last.fm/user/Austintayeshus
http://twitter.com/Austintayeshus

>(Judee Sill 'The Donor' which hulkshare seems to have taken
>the liberty to pitch down for you)

excellent! this isn't the right pitch?

And it's very right-protected, so YouTube pre-emptively nuked my upload of it.

The proper version is just. . . well, faster.

~Austin

http://austintayeshus.blogspot.com
http://www.last.fm/user/Austintayeshus
http://twitter.com/Austintayeshus

never heard of such a thing. i'm curious to hear it at the right pitch, so would you mind sending it to my user name @hotmail.com? thank you

>You may be interested in the vocal overdubbing on this:
>http://www.hulkshare.com/2kf1c5lak4u8
>
>(Judee Sill 'The Donor' which hulkshare seems to have taken
>the liberty to pitch down for you)

nice album. i didn't expect the twang on the other songs, but it's most welcome.

i know it's sacrilege, but throw the name janice whaley into spotify sometime.

D'Angelo- I spent most of last year re-discovering his music and it was a breath of fresh air like none other. I grew up with D'Angelo's music as a kid and was always casually into it. I always had somewhat of a peaked interest in dude because I remember back in middle school borrowing my mom's cassette tape of Brown Sugar and listening to it on my own. Listening to him as an adult was like hearing everything brand new. Everything i love about music and what makes music powerful was represented in his music.... strong vocals, slick grooves. meaningful lyrics, amazing background vocals, great musicianship... everything was on point to me. I look forward to his comeback more than ever now.

Girls- Father, Son, Ghost (LP)

Girls make the kind of music that all these indie rock bands that get overhyped should be making. Hands down it's some of the best songwriting and compositions coming from the world of indie music. It's quality alternative rock. Don't quite know how to describe the sound- it's Pink Floyd meets Belle & Sebastian meets Buddy Holly meets Deep Purple

Kendrick Lamar- He already gets thumbs up for being local (Compton/LA stand up), but he's one of the most talented rappers to come from the West in a long time. Ironically, my little brothers turned me on to him several years back at a time when i was ignoring most of the freshman rappers because I was very disappointed with the state of hip-hop and getting bored with it. Dude is hella talented, I hope he focuses more on being an artist (as in a person who literally creates art) and not on being a corporate product. He's one of the few newer rappers that I listen to these days. And being a feminist, a militant feminist at that, I'm turned off by a lot of rap lyrics and find myself compromising half the time.

Marvin Gaye- Been digging deep into a lot of his lesser known material. B-sides, live shows, outtakes, instrumentals. I almost like him more as a composer than a singer. Marvin was a bad MF for real. It's sad that people mostly only associate him with What's Goin On?, "Let's Get It On" and "Sexual Healing"

Frank Ocean- "Pyramids" - I love this. This is what Usher's new album should have sounded like.

The Roots- Been a fan for many years now, but due to the fact I'm a little younger I came up with their music through adolescence too. I've been going back and listening to some of the older songs more attentively, from a musician's perspective. Listening to ?uest and the guys' compositions the way I'd listen to a Coltrane album... I think ?uest will go down in history as one of our best producers. It's like.. if Curtis Mayfield had a hip-hop band, what would it sound like?

Gen X Alternative rock- Going back and re-discovering the music of bands like Mudhoney and the Meat Puppets. Trying to dig deeper into their catalogues and the music that came out of that whole late-80s Seattle alternative rock scene... before it went corporate. But some of the major label stuff is excellent too.

John Coltrane- I listen to Coltrane regularly, but mostly the albums I like the most/most familiar with. Lately I've been digging deep into his catalogue to acquaint myself with all of albums. I really LOVE his experimental stuff (especially Om) and some of the last material he recorded shortly before his death.

The Black Power Mixtape- I made a playlist on Spotify with the same name immediately after watching the documentary (of the same name) and comprised it off inspirational social/political songs dealing with blackness and what it means to be black in America (or this world). I find myself listening to it often lately... definitely inspiration for the Occupy Wall St. activism I'm heavily involved in.

I like good playlists and mixes with fun beat selections and a fun, uplifting vibe to them.

I enjoy Jawaiian pop music.

I love it when house music.. or any type of music really.. has variations in drum patterns and enough going on in the tracks to accentuate the beats.. repetitive enough to be hypnotic, but enough switches and changes to keep my short attention span engaged.

I love rap songs with scratched hooks and/or scratch solos.. a lot of rap music has extended sections where the beat or the chorus just repeats and repeats.. perfect opportunity for some fresh yet tasteful scratchin and/or editing magic.

I love rap songs and rap groups that put the DJ on a pedestal. (i.e.; "Rhythm Traxx House Party Style", "Ugly People Be Quiet", "Supercuts", etc.)

I love rap songs that encourage partying and dancing without having to dumb it down (i.e.; "I Know You Got Soul")

I love so-called gangsta rap from before the regional rap sound era (i.e., King Tee, OG Style, Threat, etc.)

I loved it when emcees who could sing a little would throw in some melody or sing songiness into their flows without having to go 100% "I am a singer now" mode. It was a nice little attention grabber that brought flavor to sometimes monotonous yet technically gifted flows.

new album Write me back is good

new book is cool

more new films coming later this year

sparkle soundtrack.

i just feel good to see a living genius just do his thing and his many music endeavors.through the years.


it felt so good to be the first in line to get his new album today.

a me on top, you on the bottom type party

I fell in love to "Previsao do Tempo" and was reaffirmed by "Garra."

This... this is a bad man.

mmmmmmmmm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTx-M3JCfEQ
That's nice.

I know, I know...beaten to death...but I really feel like his album carries a really good tone of someone getting sucked into the gang life....but Kdot portrayed it as fucked....which it is. Most of the album strikes me as very heartfelt...and mature beyond his years.

Pharoah Sanders:

Straight up awesome meditative jazz. Chills me out every single time.

The Forgetters:

Indie rock/singer/songwriter stuff. Very understated...guitarist vocalist Blake Schwartzenbach writes really great emotional lyrics....some kinda socially oriented.

ASAP Rocky:

I know I know..he sucks he can't rap....I don't think he's a good rapper but he picks beats well and can create a mood pretty well. There's some shit on his album that is great.....ignorant....but great.

and i have really been enjoying it. dude has written a lot of good songs. train a comin and transcendental blues are my favorites so far, still have some digging to do.

http://soundcloud.com/user6385624/steves-last-ramble

arranged for old-timey banjo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NISMOpGrNpk

I'm not completely sold, but I'll check the album at some point. At least it doesn't sound like typical indie fodder.

Is that a compliment these days? damn...

Real raw sounding album and the girl is a great songwriter. I've been recommending it to whoever will listen.

it's basically mixes he makes of some dope tracks. not the least bit boring, or tedious like some other artist's mixes that gets predictable or monotonous.

I'm kind of tired of hipping and posting about music (and other things) I like up in OKP and it either getting ignored or hated on, so now I just post stuff up on bookface or my tumblr blog.

Doez a kat get mo' rezponze dat way? You got a real followin'? Wit' a billion bookfaze uzaz an' howeva many blogz I figga whateva I say iz fin ta get ignored eitha way LOL! At leazt a thread lyke diz got sum legz on it if I work it ryght. Pauze. LOL!

Peaze An' Chyken Greaze!
Traviz

his mask is golden.
You will either think he's wack, or brilliant.
There's no in-between with this guy.
http://youtu.be/glugWWQ9Eus

were the last things I really been blown away by. Excited to check out the Charles Bradley album as well, finally have the record coming in the mail.