Yr Hip Halloween Haunts -
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Going out for Halloween? Check out some of these live performances if you can…
SAN FRANCISCO:
NEW YORK:
CHICAGO:
Myspace Mondays: Suzi Analogue.
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I hear from a lot of different artists on Myspace. Sometimes [just sometimes] their music is great, but most of the time it’s quite terrible. I’ve been mulling it over in my head and I’ve decided that I’d like to spotlight some of the singers, songwriters, producers and musicians that I enjoy.
So, I’d like to introduce Suzi Analogue, my latest Myspace discovery. The self-proclaimed Brown Girl Wonder describes herself as a singer [she's a soprano], songwriter and soul slanger.
Go listen to some of her tunes.
Etta Brains: The Tao of Wu
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I caught an interview with RZA of Wu Tang fame on the Tavis Smiley show early this afternoon. He talks about his new memoir, The Tao of Wu, Wu Tang, religion and his life. You can watch some video of it here on the PBS site.
I can’t wait to read it. Has anyone read it yet?
Friday Favorites!
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Best tracks:
Karen O and The Kids
“Capsize” [Imeem]
This track is from the “Where the Wild Things Are” soundtrack and is probably my favorite song on the album. I love how angular Karen O’s vocals sound over all the lush layers of fuzzy chimes, acoustic guitars, handclaps, tambourines and bass drums. Let it sink in.
The Cinematic Orchestra
Music for a stuttering dream sequence.
Nosaj Thing
“Quest“
A song for the other side of the mirror with some groove to it. A lullabye with snap that could’ve been on the Edward Scissorhands soundtrack if it had been produced by Flying Lotus. Much too short.
Better Than the Rest?
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I stumbled upon this group on accident and proceeded with caution. I love Afro-beat, Afro-rock, etc but I’ve mentioned before my feelings towards the minimal range and uniformity of sound in some of the compilations and newer albums I’ve heard. However, these three men have combined modern electronic sounds and some thumping beats to create a fresh world music interpretation that even the most narrow listener can give a chance.
Julia – The Very Best
The Very Best is Malawi-born vocalist Esau Mwamwaya paired with the French and Swedish duo Radioclit. This is my favorite track from their album, The Warm Heart of Africa. Fairly minimal but still awesome, it opens with a sick synth loop that snakes it ways throughout the chorus, adds in a compressed snare and then layers in the vocals. It’s a great song to start with to ease yourself into the rest of the album.
Also, check out the Javelin Re-Do of “Julia” on the Etta Strange Imeem playlist.
Grizzly Bear vs. The Flaming Lips: The Conan Editon
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The Flaming Lips performed ”Watching the Planets” from their album Embryonic on the Conan O’Brien show last night. I was playing a game of Uno when they came on and I kept playing, taking frequent glaces at the television. Super artsy, etc – but I didn’t think it sounded that great. My favorite part was the motion sensor gong.
“Watching the Planets” [live] – The Flaming Lips
[link]
I must say that I preferred the performance from the night before. Grizzly Bear and Beach House’s Victoria Legrand sang a beautiful, melodic song from their album Veckatimest that got my full attention.
“Two Weeks” [live] - Grizzly Bear
[link]
And also check out the bizarre video directed by Patrick Daughters:
[link]
Make It Rain.
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Tv On the Radio’s dreamboat Kyp Malone has decided to dip his feet in a solo project call Rain Machine. The 11-track, self-titled album was released on September 22 on Anti-records and got some great reviews
S/T – Rain Machine
Give Blood – Rain Machine [S/T]
He drew the album art himself which is equal parts somewhat interesting and hilarious. It’s sort of Lion King meets that scene at the end of The Wiz where all the workers take off their monster suits and dance around naked. Kinda celebratory, no? In an interview with Pitchfork he said it was inspired by the oft-forgotten psychedelic aspects of African Culture. Interesting…
This track sounds like a new TVOTR song to me, but there are differences. For one, there is no band. There is some cowbell, some bass guitar and drum, a melodic synth line ribboning through through the track and Kyp’s now-extremely-familiar warbling and unmistakable crooning. He also uses some female vocals to echo the track’s title command.
My favorite part lasts only about thirt seconds: Kyp singing falsetto over a handclap and synth ditty in the middle of the song.
We All Skream For Dubstep.
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Last weekend was San Francisco’s Lovefest 2009 - a huge electronic music festival – and I spent most of my time at the drum and bass stage getting sucked into the layers of sound. So, you can imagine how pleased I was to stumble upon Oliver Jones better known as Skream, one of Britain’s first and most influential dubstep producers.
Midnight Request Line – Skream
Meta-Lick – Skream
If the stories are right, this guy has a lot to brag about: a record at 15, supposedly 8000 songs [some unfinished, some complete] under his belt and what some call dubstep’s most recognizable crossover track, “Midnight Request Line.”
A few words that immediately come to mind when observing the track: spacey and controlled, crisp and precise. At the top bits and bytes float through before being reigned in by the snap of either a beefed up snare or a , open-aired clap that keeps morphing throughout the song. I had never heard this before, so I can’t confirm how instantly recognizable it is, but I like it. I’d be interested in some Dubheads leaving some comments about it.
The next track made me think of Boys Noize because of its ice cold, insistent synth sound. “Meta-Lick” is a crunchy, minimalist track that bares its bones before filling out all spaces with either an echo, a reverb or some looming spacecraft warble.
Short Shots.
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Did you hear?
- Nasa bombed the moon this morning. They deliberately launched two spacecrafts into the southpole around 3 a.m. I thought it was a bad idea, but I thought it might at least look amazing. Apparently there were no results that could be seen by the naked eye.
- Ghostface Killah releases the coolest-sounding album title of the year? The Wiz is my favorite movie so Ghostdini: The Wizard of Poetry In Emerald City is such a fun name. Check out reviews at The Smoking Section and Pitchfork [& stream the whole album from the site]
- The Pixies are releasing limited edition CDs and downloads of a few of their European tour performances. You’ll have a chance to hear their 1989 album Doolittle professionally-recorded and played from beginning to end from stages in Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris.
[link]
- Mixtape Riot posted up some swank french grooves from 60’s off of a compilation called Atomic Cafe. They also put up a cool experimental video from French composer Pierre Henry called “Psyche Rock.” Check it out:
Come Alive!
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I have loved Janelle Monae for a few years now. Besides being as cute as a button, she’s got that oddball, fearless female thing going on which I think is more than awesome. Reminds me of other fierce femmes like Santogold, Shingai Shoniwa of the Noisettes and Karen O. I dig these ladies so much.
And so, you can imagine how pleased I was to stumble upon this track presented by the carmakers Kia Motors – of all companies. They have this group of four artists they’ve dubbed Kia Soul Collective and have included Janelle Monae as the only female.
Come Alive [The War of the Roses] – Janelle Monae
For those of you totally unfamiliar with her, Janelle Monae is part of the Wondaland Art Society and is also signed to Bad Boy/Atlantic Records. She got her break from Outkast’s Big Boi and released her first album, Metropolis: The Chase Suite, last year in August. She’s opened for Of Montreal, toured with No Doubt and has even been nominated for a Grammy. She’s doing things.
“Come Alive” is an electrified, bride-of-frankenstein rock track supported by the strength and confidence of Monae’s soulful screams and sometimes-raspy screeches. Her vocal acrobats show off her range, intensity and guts: “YOU DON’T KNOW NOTHING!”
This track is bursting with energy and enthusiasm. One of the funnest things about her singing is that she can’t fake it. It’s effluent and emphatic, usually soaring but sometimes just crooning. She is incredibly talented.
Definitely take the time to hear these tracks and keep an eye out for her in your town, she’s going on tour with Raphael Saadiq this fall.
TOUR DATES
Nov. 16th Seattle, WA-Sodo
Nov. 17th Portland, OR- Portland
Nov. 18th Oakland, CA- Fox
Nov. 20th Los Angeles, CA- Wiltern
Nov. 21st Las Vegas, NV- House of Blues
Nov. 24th Dallas, TX- House of Blues
Nov. 25th Houston, TX- House of Blues
Nov. 28th Miami, FL- Filmore@Jackie Gleason
Nov. 30th Atlanta, GA- Centerstage
Dec. 02nd Philadelphia, PA- Electric Factory
Dec. 04th New York, NY- Terminal 5
Dec. 05th Atlantic City, NJ- House of Blues
Dec. 06th Baltimore, MA- Rams Head
Dec. 07th Washington DC- Club 930
Dec. 09th Boston, MA- House of Blues
Dec. 11th Toronto, ON- Kool House
Dec. 12th Montreal QC- Metropolis
Dec. 14th Chicago IL- Park West
Dec. 15th Chicago IL- Park West
Dec. 16th Minneapolis, MN- First Ave
Check out the video for the track that got her nominate for a grammy:
“Many Moons” – Janelle Monae
[link]
