idk.

Download this week’s Friday Writers’ Bloc Playlist HERE

Michael-Bradley’s Picks

1. Television - Elevation

Television is band that I’ve heard of for a long time, and never found the time to get into. Bu after hearing Henry Rollins’ feature Television’s debut album Marquee Moon(1977) in its entirety, on his weekly radio show on Indie 103- Harmony in My Head, I realized it was time. I can’t believe I hadn’t even heard these songs before. This album is terrific from top to bottom. A ,mix of a lot of sounds, this album proved to be super influential in all punk, no wave and post punk. I feel like Carman could talk a lot better about these guys than I can (cause I’m just learning), so lets hope he sheds some light on these guys eventually. When I hear this album, I just think oh, that’s what Clap Your Hands Say Yeah were thinking.

2. Joy Division - Disorder

Much like Television did with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, my introduction to Joy Division through their first full length album -Unknown Pleasures (1979) dissolved any interest I had in Interpol. I thought Interpol’s sound was actually unique, thin reverb on the guitar, lead singer’s low pitch humming, i dont know- just about everything they do, had been done TWENTY YEARS AGO. This is probably not a surprise to anybody more than a few years older than me, but shit. Totally disappointing. If anything Interpol is a bit quicker at times, and a bit bassier. But what I thought was their best release, Turn on The Bright Lights is really just Unknown Pleasures [btw,amazing album cover] through the eyes of 2002. And they fooled an entire generation to think they’re doing something special. HA. Well give Unknown Pleasures a spin and see if you can listen to Interpol. I’m trying right now, and it’s not working. Of course, like too many great acts, Joy Divion’s story ended too soon- only a year after this release lead singer Ian Curtis hanged himself.

3. Metallica - Fade to Black

KROQ has been playing a lot of old Metallica to get ready for a show they’re doing for them. Last week, I made a friend sit in the car with me for 5 minutes while all the solo’s of Master of Puppets played out, so i could sing along note for note. Metallica was probably the first time I really went off the deep end in my music taste,that also involved getting into it beyond radio plays. Sure I was listening to NIN and Nirvana, but this seemed a lot darker. Their older albums were never even near the radio in NY. I collected their entire discography of cd’s, going backwards starting from their most recent release at the time (Load?). I became totally obsessed with them. The musicianship, the heavy riffs, and at times the speed. It felt so right! And the deeper I went into their older stuff, the more I fell in love. This is probably the 2nd complete discography I made, after Nirvana. But I was even more proud of this one for it’s lack of commonality with my schoolmates. This song, Fade to Black, was off Ride the Lightning (1984)-their 2nd full length release. This song is one of their greatest early songs. Like so many of my early favs, it starts with the acoustic guitar, and builds speed throughout the song, while just getting heavier and heavier. Truly epic song. Life it seems will fade away.
BTW, Lars Ulrich (drummer) is a fucking douchebag who got me kicked off of napster for downloading all the fucking metallica songs I ALREADY OWNED JACKASS. THANK YOU LARS, for setting up a sue fans first mentality in the record industry, instead of examining why this problem is happening. You’re a rich bitch, and I will never buy anything of yours again. I probably wont even try to listen to your new material either, even though KROQ will jam it down my throats after you pay them off. In fact, I will probably burn your entire discography in mass bulk at my place, and leave them for free at venues. Trace that on the internetz.

Jonathan’s Picks

1. Hypnotic Brass Ensemble Feat. Freeway, Jay-Z, and Beanie Sigel - War (Nick Catchdubs Remix)

Hypnotic Brass Ensemble is NOT your average brass band. First of all, they draw almost as much influence from hip hop and Latin music as they do jazz. But secondly, of the band’s nine members, eight are related. And not only are they related, but all eight (all on horns) are actually blood brothers — the sons of 1950s jazz trumpet player Phil Cohran, who played predominantly with the Sun Ra Arkestra. Only Hypnotic’s drummer, “360,” has a different father. And though the band has been recording for just a few years — they started as street performers in Chicago — the chemistry and energy are clearly there since they grew up with jazz in the blood, and a sense of performance in heart. This track is one of my favorites: Brooklyn-based DJ and remixer, Nick Catchdubs, combines one of Hypnotic Brass Ensemble’s best songs, “War,” a trumpet-heavy record with a sneaky-good bass line, with one of my favorite hip hop songs of the last ten years, hood anthem “What We do,” by Roc-A-Fella Records member Freeway, and featuring Jay-Z and Beanie Sigel. The horns seem to weep while trying their best to hold their heads up high, as if they’re listening to the Free, Jay, and Beans rhyme about drugs, guns, prison, squalor, and growin’ up in the hood. It’s a gritty yet beautiful conversion. (Watch an excellent short NY Times video profile of Hypnotic Brass Ensemble here).

2. Usher Feat. Beyonce & Lil Wayne - Love In This Club (Part 2 Remix)

So no doubt the original version of “Love In This Club” was a huge hit. And while I thought it was an above average R&B track, on the whole it was hardly special. But I admit I definitely dug the shimmering synthy beat from Polow da Don aka King of the White Girls (sorry, but I just have to write that nickname every chance I get), and the catchy chorus certainly didn’t hurt for Usher’s upcoming album’s first single. Small problem though: the Internets are ablaze with rumors that Polow da Don made the beat using basic, pre-loaded samples and loops from Apple’s DIY music program, GarageBand – not a good look for a supposedly top-flight music producer. In any case, the remix, or “Part 2″ as it’s being called, has a whole new downtempo beat from producer Soundz, and all new lyrics from Usher to go with it. Usher engages in a spirited and earnest back-and-forth vocal debate with a surprisingly excellent sounding Beyonce, about whether or not they should indeed make love in the club. Kind of awkward since they both recently married other people, but still, it actually makes for quite a good song. Lil Wayne delivers, as always, with a hoarse-voiced, syrup-slurred rap, in which he once again (note the developing trend here) took to using Auto-Tune for the second half of his verse. “Love In This Club (Part 2 Remix)” is really like listening to a whole new track, and maybe even a better one, so give it a shot.

3. Colin Munroe - (I Want Those) Flashing Lights

Colin Munroe is a new artist out of Toronto who recently signed with Grammy-winning record producer, Dallas Austin, and is in the process of releasing his first album. Boom. (Got that out of the way). Frankly, I can’t and won’t even try to vouch for any of his other music, because there simply isn’t much out there yet, and what I’ve heard isn’t moving me much. But that really has nothing to do with why chose this track. One could say this is just a remix of Kanye West’s “Flashing Lights,” and to some extent that’s true. But this is a new breed, and different brand of remix than hip hop or pop music are used to. Much like the “Love In This Club” remix above, “(I Want Those) Flashing Lights” is really a complete reinvention of the song it’s supposedly just remixing, and giving it brand new lyrics (save for a bit of each chorus) and a reworked, if not entirely reinvented, beat. One major difference of course is that Usher’s remix was done by a professional producer, Colin Munroe is more like, well, just a Canadian guy. Nonetheless, I love Munroe’s honest lyrics and obviously rough rehashing of West’s beat. And while his voice isn’t nearly the same quality, Munroe already reminds me a little bit of a more raw, less developed Sam Sparro. One other thing: Munroe even upstages Usher’s remix in one sense — he actually made an accompanying video, which, while admittedly a little on the “Fisher-Price My First Music Video” side, is actually great looking a fun to watch.

JustJake’s Picks

1. Merle Travis & Joe Maphis - White House Blues

This song is an old tune that has survived in many incarnations over the last hundred years or so. Around the turn of the century many people, especially those in the rural areas where bluegrass and country music were born, had no way of receiving news other than by word of mouth and song. This particular tune about the 1901 assassination of President William McKinley is probably an instance of this early form of newscasting. Other than the words, which today seem almost comical, take note of Merle Travis’ signature strolling guitar style

2. John Hartford - In Tall Buildings

John Hartford penned some of bluegrass and country music’s greatest songs, but none is sadder or more troubling than this waltzing eulogy for the workingman. If you live in a city or have ever found yourself working in a office be warned, this song will hit home and might even cause you to re-evaluate your priorities.

3. Lyle Lovett - I’ve Been to Memphis

If you’re like me, you’ve spent a fair amount of time wondering how in the hell Lyle Lovett ever got near Julia Roberts, let alone near enough to marry her. Well after listening to this song it’s not so hard to understand. Lovett, is a great songwriter and this pick, from the NPR’s Live at the World Café, is one of his more soulful tunes. Just straight-up fun.

Carman’s Picks

1. ESG - Moody

Every time I listen to LCD Soundsystem I think to myself, “Man, James Murphy really, really wants his band to be the modern day ESG.” And I don’t mean that in a negative way; I’m a huge LCD Soundsystem fan. But hell, I don’t blame him for that anyways. In my eyes, ESG were the perfect band: catchy, danceable, grooves from a trio of sisters (and a friend on bass) from the South Bronx that was honest in its simplicity and no-holds-barred approach. Unsurprisingly, they would catch the attention of early pioneering hip-hop DJs for use in beats (a reunion in 1992 saw the release of the Sample Credits Don’t Pay Our Bills EP) before the post-punk revival of the new century instilled a generation of middle-class kids to appreciate not only an endearing D.I.Y. ethic, but a rhythm that made you move. Enjoy this classic cut off their first release.

2. Cecil Taylor - Tales (8 Whisps)

Cecil Taylor was unique among free jazz pioneers in that not only did he play the piano (an unusual instrument in the early days of free jazz), but he also embraced the theatrical aspect of the medium. Along with The Art Ensemble of Chicago, Cecil Taylor made jazz not only an art form to be listened to, but also to be watched. While the AEOC did it with a large ensemble of junk used for rhythm instruments and masks and makeup, Cecil Taylor was able to do it not only in a solo act, but while sitting behind a piano. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out Ron Mann’s superb 1981 documentary Imagine The Sound. Taylor is one of the subjects featured in the film, and you will be blown away by his performances (and his eccentric personality). The man is an acrobat behind the keys, and you can tell by just listening to his work.

Download this week’s Friday Writers’ Bloc Playlist HERE

After yesterday’s depressingly negative “Quick Hits” piece about Day26 (sorry, but someone had to say something about that foolishness), I bring you a truly quick “Quick Hit:”

It doesn’t happen very often. But every now and then a song comes along that single-handedly makes me wish I was still still DJing regularly. It’s not always the “best” song of the year, or even one I think most people will like. It’s not based on iTunes sales, chart peformance, or TRL countdowns.

It’s based solely on the fact that I’m dying to play this track at sickeningly high volume on a bumpin’ sound system for of a ton of drunk and/or high people that are dancing furiously together in a packed room. You’d think I would be able to remember the last time this happened, but I can’t. Anyway, enough of that already. This song is making me crazy. I can’t even wait until Friday’s Picks to post it.

So what’s the fucking song??

The song that’s absolutely slaying me right now is a remix of N.E.R.D.’s newest single, the cocaine anthem “Everyone Nose.” This is funny considering my utter disdain for the original version of this song, which I find to be relatively boring, ripped off too directly from reggaeton’s “At Chu,” and blatantly pandering to the “drugs are cool and so am I” Hollywood set. I mean, Lindsay Lohan makes a cameo in the freakin’ video!

Ugh.

But the remix…..probably a Pharrell/Kanye job, is drastically different. First of all it’s hardly even an N.E.R.D. song anymore. It has really become a CRS track, with an unbelievable beat that switches effortlessly between hip hop and techno. Haven’t heard of CRS yet? It usually stands for Child Rebel Soldier, but in this case, CRS is the self proclaimed “super-group” made up of Pharrell Williams, Kanye West, and Lupe Fiasco — appearing on the T-shirt you see above swathed in BAPE gear and Kalashnikovs. And on top of that, the remix features one of hip hop’s top lyricists — not to mention top cocaine experts — Pusha T from the Clipse. And everyone kills it on their respective turns. (Yes, even Pharrell).

Okay I’ve already said too much. This track is such heat! People are gonna go crazy for it in the clubs. It’s just absolute fire, pure gas, a ridiculous banger — off the hook, off the chain, off the meat rack, as we used to say. Just to give credit where credit is due, special thanks to DJ M.O.S., one of New York’s most highly-regarded and universally admired DJs, for making this track available. I’m about to blackout now.

Without further blabbering…..GET IT:

Everyone Nose (Remix)

Just play it loud.

- Jonathan

So typically we use the “Quick Hits” format for newly acquired music that we like and feel like sharing with others or just generally talking about. But I need to flip the script a little bit, even if only just for today.

I’ve written extensively about artists that I like — or at least whose music I find to be new or interesting or meaningful — in almost every post thus far. I didn’t want to contribute too much to the ever-snarky “this sucks” culture of today, which seems particularly prominent when it comes to blog culture. But I gotta say something about Day26 and their debut album, the cleverly titled, Day26:

This sucks.

I mean honestly, this was supposed to be the next R&B super-group, which Diddy (whom I grew up with, like, and admire) and MTV spent years crafting — holding auditions all over the country and synthesizing the thousands of hopefuls and wannabes into the five men you see sitting before you who already look dressed for their own funeral. And yet, I found myself listening to the album and thinking, Seriously? This is it? This is the best Diddy could come up with? With all of America as his talent pool. And on top of all that, Diddy, you decide to saddle them with this absurd name, Day26 (no spaces, please). Why, man, why?

I was really looking forward to having a good, old-school, all-male R&B group that could really sing again. Well you can forget that idea. If you were waitin’, it ain’t here yet. Forget about the next New Edition, the next Jodeci, or the next Boyz II Men. Day26 is maybe the next All-4-One — maybe (come on, “I Swear” was a great song) — but they aren’t even the next 112. (Who had some really legitimate shit, by the way: “Only You,” “Cupid,” “It’s Over Now,” “Peaches & Cream,” “Dance With Me,” etc.). The passion and charisma just isn’t there with these dudes.

And the bitch of it is, Day26 has probably had more advantages in releasing their first album than any group in R&B history, accept for maybe Diddy’s other “Making the” band, female “super-group,” Danity Kane. Between the insane amount of near-constant publicity from four seasons of MTV’s Making the Band show, and album production almost exclusively by top-flight producers (Bryan-Michael Cox, Danja, and The Hitmen), it’s no wonder that Day26 debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart — anything less would have been serious under achievement considering the coattails on which they’re riding.

Despite the hot initial album sales, the group’s first single, “Got Me Going,” hasn’t exactly been a smashing success, peaking at number seventy-nine on Billboard’s Hot 100, and number thirty on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop chart. This could be due to the fact that, like the group itself, the song is just pretty damn lame. It seems entirely possible that what Day26 is truly suffering from is over-design, over-production, over-coaching, and over-exposure. In other words, the build up was so extreme, there was simply no way the ends could justify the means.

If you opt to check out any Day26 tracks, I’d go with “I’m The Reason,” a percussion-driven joint reminiscent of Destiny’s Child’s “Lose My Breath,” or “Since You’ve Been Gone,” an unsatisfying attempt at the standard “Oh baby I miss you so much but now I’ve changed” R&B ballad.

But I don’t particularly recommend it.

- Jonathan

Day26 Official MySpace

Download this week’s Friday Writers’ Bloc Playlist HERE

Michael-Bradley’s Picks

1. Minutemen - Corona

Sound familiar? Welcome to the Minutemen. My generation probably knows them better for this intro riff - the Jackass theme song. I still have trouble not hearing after the first few seconds, Hi I’m Johnny Knoxville and I’m about to….[do something stupid]. Associations with Jackass aside though, the Minutemen were really a magnificent band. Straight out of San Pedro they quickly caught the eyes of local LA hardcore punk acts like Black Flag. Even though their sound was totally different and unique, their politics really fell in line with the more politically aware people in hardcore. Greg Ginn of Black Flag signed them to their first album to his Label SST. This would be only the 2nd SST release, following Black Flag’s first release, the Nervous Breakdown EP. They toured rigorously with Black Flag and other punk bands, frequently being misunderstood by stubborn punks. Even though these guys weren’t thrash, they had just as much fire as any other punks out there. Their leftist politics, and sincere push for D.I.Y. left a fine mark on the punk scene. This song, Corona, off their 2nd to last LP, Double Nickels on the Dime- iswhere I think they really hit their groove. Singer and guitarist D. Boon died in a car crash a year after this seminal release, abruptly ending this truly amazing band. (Anyone remotely interested in this band should see the documentary “We Jam Econo”)

2. Fugazi - Shut the Door

Speaking of D.I.Y……Here’s Fugazi. Ian MacKaye’s [Lead man of DC Hardcore band Minor Threat] post-hardcore band. Formed in 1987, Hardcore had dwindled away for the past 3 or so years. Fugazi also were really known for their politics. Their ethics were punk to the core. They never sold Merch, and never played any shows for more than $10. They strived for $5 though. They were also strongly opposed to violent behavior at shows. Hardcore was dead, and slam-dancing had to be phased out. They were also known for their Straight Edge way of life (MacKeye inventing it with Minor Threat’s song Straight Edge). An interesting note about Fugazi is that they are looked at as one of the creators of Emo. But this was before Emo was what it is today. There was no eyeliner, and wrist cutting. Emo was simply a term for Emotional Hardcore. This is clearly that. How somehow Emo has become recontextualized into Cure fans with a love for pop melodrama and a crying fetish is beyond me. I don’t see how it happened. Shut the door on that!

3. Rage Against the Machine - Settle For Nothing

Always spending so much time looking for politically inspired music in the past, I sometimes forget that one of the most intensely political bands played during my time! These guys were amazing. It’s even more amazing to think how angry they were during a seemingly benign political time considering the times that surrounded their two most important releases in ‘92 and ‘96. To think of these guys playing new material now, a riot would surely break out. But a lot of their lyrics dealt with socio-economic problems that haven’t changed all that much. Though I can’t relate to these lyrics to my life directly, I understand the story and it is motivating enough to enrage anyone: “A jail cell is freedom from the pain in my home—Hatred passed on, passed on and passed on—A world of violent rage—But its one that I can recognize—Having never seen the color of my fathers eyes—……..To escape from the pain in an existence mundane—I gotta 9, a sign, a set and now I gotta name—Read my writing on the wall—No-ones here to catch me when I fall.”

Jonathan’s Picks

1. I Got My - Lil Wayne Feat. Static Major

This song is both totally straightforward and intensely complicated at the same time. It’s straightforward because, simply put, “I Got My” has been able to hold the top spot on my current list of favorite songs for a few months now. And that’s a seriously long time for me — I’m generally much more of a slut when it comes to finding and playing new favorite songs. I fall in love with a new one every day. But for some reason “I Got My” has just stuck with me and won’t let go. I think you’ll understand when you hear the way the beat fluidly hops around and how Lil Wayne deftly stays with it, and the way the song just escalates into the amazingly catchy and simple synth-driven chorus. Unfortunately, however, “I Got My” is complicated for two rather big reasons: after being one of the most highly anticipated albums of 2007 (it was set to release in December), the release date of Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter III was pushed back to June of 2008 following a massive song leak last year that included many tracks that had been recorded as part of his new album. “I Got My” may have been one of those songs, and it is uncertain whether or not it will make the final cut on Tha Carter III. The second reason is far more grave. Static Major (né Stephen Garrett), a highly regarded singer, songwriter (with multiple number one hits), and producer, died in February under tragic and suspicious circumstances — of either a brain aneurysm or the loss of blood during a medical procedure gone wrong (depending on whom you talk to). Though the extent of Static’s role in “I Got My” remains unclear (writer, producer, vocalist?), it’s certainly one of the last tracks he worked on. I hope to see it on Lil Wayne’s album this June, though it’s far from confirmed. Enjoy this one.

2. Lollipop (Remix) - Lil Wayne Feat. Gabriel Antonio

Speaking of Static Major, he is also featured prominently on the original release of “Lollipop,” the first single of Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter III. Sadly, Static died just weeks before the song’s official release. “Lollipop” would eventually top the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and Static Major can be still be seen in the song’s accompanying music video. This sentimentality, however, is not why I chose the remix of “Lollipop,” which basically substitutes Static Major for Gabriel Antonio, a rising R&B/Hip Hop artist out of Florida. Frankly, I don’t love the original version of the song, nor do I love the remix — as Lil Wayne said, “Dudes are gonna hate this one…..ugly dudes, that is.” Now, I love Lil Wayne, and it’s certainly not that I’m calling myself ugly — far too vain for that — but this just ain’t exactly a record for the fellas. This is the song that’s supposed to be radio and club-friendly, in order to drum up excitement and sales for Tha Carter III album as a whole. But what I find interesting about the “Lollipop” remix, and the reason I selected it for today’s picks, is that Lil Wayne utilizes Auto-Tune vocal processor (you its sound know first from Cher’s “Believe,” then from every T-Pain song ever, and most recently Snoop Dogg’s “Sexual Eruption”) throughout his vocals on entire song — not just in the chorus. So, in other words, he actually raps using Auto-Tune to distort and digitize his voice, something not yet done by rappers. And now, the trend is starting to catch on: just a few days ago I got a copy of Young Jeezy’s new single “Put On,” which features an extremely tight verse from Kanye West, with Kanye doing his entire verse using Auto-Tune. So now you know it’s officially happening, and we’ll have to keep an eye out to see if other rappers start following the trend set by industry leaders like Lil Wayne and Kanye.

3. Santogold - You’ll Find a Way (Switch vs. Sinden Remix)

It’s not hard to see why Santogold has been hailed as “the next M.I.A.” for the last…..well, I don’t even know how long it’s been. But a long-ass time. Santogold, aka Santi White, is different. Like M.I.A. she’s brown-skinned, sure, but also eschews making anything close to conventional hip hip or R&B music purposely, instead keeping things genre-eclectic and influence-global. Her much-awaited, eponymous first album was released on April 29th, 2008, and it does not disappoint, with an excellent mix of rock, electro, punk, dub reggae, and 80s influences on display throughout the twelve track album. My favorite track, the album’s finale, is a remix of one of her more dub punk efforts, “You’ll Find a Way.” The remix is kind of a minimalist — or maybe sparse is a better word — electro-reggae banger (it would absolutely kill on the dance floor in the right club with the right clientèle) that showcases Santogold’s incredibly unique and powerful voice, switching back and forth from her near-screaming to a sensual and almost casual stage whisper. It’s an extra-unique track from already unique and talented artist. And check out the hot album cover too. Keep your eyes on this one, she’s musically frisky.

JustJake’s Picks

1. Bill Monroe - Rawhide

Ok, it’s been long enough; time for an all-bluegrass picks. At the heart of bluegrass music lies the fiddle tune, they are the lifeblood and the soul of the music. Most of them are real old-timey songs whose origins lie beyond common memory. Nonetheless, everyone knows them and everyone plays them. Fiddle tunes don’t always feature the fiddle but rather the group of instruments as they trade solos. This one features Monroe’s mandolin and his superior skills come in clear as day.

2. Chris Thile - Salt Creek

Chris Thile is possibly the top mandolin player in the country at the moment. Not yet thirty, he has found acclaim since he was in elementary school. Best known for his work with the band Nickel Creek (which broke up recently), Thile has been doing solo work for some time now. This song is a traditional fiddle tune and, compared to either of the previous tunes, it’s plain to see how Thile stretches the bluegrass genre. You can still hear the song’s celtic roots and driving force but it quickly turns into something much jazzier and bluesy. This is about the best that newgrass (the more modern/less traditional bluegrass) has to offer. Enjoy.

Download this week’s Friday Writers’ Bloc Playlist HERE

Being born in the middle of the Eighties, the Cold War was merely something I read about in history class. But based on what my textbooks and The History Channel tell me, it was a time of paranoia and Us vs. Them. Nuclear winter was imminent at any notice; all someone had to do was push a little red button and it was all over.

That said, I don’t know what that feeling was like. Terrorism is too local and isolated of a phenomenon for me to really lose sleep over, these days. During the Cold War, we were talking about full-on nuclear war. That amount of fear and dread is beyond anything I’ve ever experienced. But I feel that if there was one ideal document for those feelings, it would be The Sound’s 1980’s debut album, Jeopardy.

Released on the Korova label (home to fellow gloomy new wavers Echo & The Bunnymen), on the surface it sounds like any other English band with eyeliner and guitars. It was dark and it was brooding. But the lyrics paint a different picture, with the focus seemingly on socio-political aspects of the times. England in 1980 was not a time for beautiful music. Thatcherism was the new modus operandi. Punk rockers pointed their fingers and blamed “them,” post-punk singers blamed themselves.

But Adrian Borland’s lyrics screamed of something beyond self-pity and doubt. Guided by a steady rhythm section that churned methodically like a heartbeat, he found his source of anguish beyond and within England’s borders. On “Missiles,” he finds it in the military-industrial complex that ran the world as he knew it. “Heartland” seemingly mocks (or supports?) the political nationalism of the era.

The band would follow up with 1981’s also-excellent From The Lion’s Mouth, but nothing would come close to the highs the band achieved with this record. Tragically, Adrian Borland would end up committing suicide in 1999.

Download: Live Instinct EP

[In 2002, Jeopardy was reissued with the four-song concert recording Live Instinct EP as bonus tracks. It has since gone back out of print.]

(If you haven’t read last week’s post, “Sam Sparro - Complex or Confused? Part I of II,” click here to backtrack to it before reading Part II below).

First let me start by apologizing for taking so long to get you guys Part II of the Sam Sparro story.

Frankly, I blame the drugs.

(And Hillary Clinton).

That being said, buckle up for the longest post of all time. But I’m throwing in links to all the songs, as well as a few pictures to make up for it. Okay, here we go………

So I realize that giving up Sparro’s excellent first single, “Black and Gold,” as an introduction to his music is a little like having sex on the first date — I gave up the goods without making you work for them. But as is often the case after people have sex on the first date, I wasn’t merely placated or satisfied by hearing “Black and Gold,” rather my appetite was whetted, and I was left wanting more. (Um, more Sam Sparro, that is). If anything, “Black and Gold” succeeded in roping me into the house of mirrors that is Sam Sparro. Now, I was trapped.

But how does the rest of his first album hold up in comparison to its lead single? Does it pale or do the other tracks back it up? Exactly what kind of music does this kid make anyway? And what of the God references? Was “Black and Gold” a one shot deal that just happened to be about Sparro’s search for God? Or would I discover the world’s first “Electro-soul spoof-disco-pop mixed with religious-funk-house” album, with lyrics wrought with religious references and questions at every turn? Because while I like to consider myself as having an eclectic and wide-ranging musical taste — and with apologies to the elder Mr. Falson — Christian Rock just isn’t among my preferred genres, nor do I plan on making it one.

Well the truth is, Sparro’s self-titled album is, not surprisingly, much like he is — it’s a true reflection of himself. Not an exact reflection, that isn’t what I mean. But an honest reflection, a real one. Shrouded in mixed signals yet entirely open to interpretation. Questioning, yes, but only in his authoritative and ever-urgent voice. Bouncing from one genre to another, with only ambiguous connections in between. Serious and introspective in one moment, then bubbly and ridiculous in the next. A God-fearing man of faith who also happens to smoke mad weed. Maybe. Who hides his pain behind fun, friendly, and sometimes silly dance tracks. In other words, Sam Sparro the album and Sam Sparro the man are both, well…..consistently inconsistent. Complex and confusing. Unsurprisingly surprising. (Now how’s that for confusion?)

But that isn’t to say there’s no meat left on the album’s bones after “Black and Gold.” True, it is quite easily the best track on Sparro’s album — I’ll tell you that right up front. But that’s largely due to its accessibility. The track just somehow works, and you don’t even have to think about why. And though three different listeners might put “Black and Gold” in three different genres of music, none of the three would find themselves saying, “What the fuck am I listening to?”

(more…)

Download this week’s Friday Writers’ Bloc playlist HERE

Michael-Bradley’s Picks

1. The Misfits - Skulls

You’ve seen the Misfits logo everywhere. You don’t need to know punk all that well to recognize that familiar skull. It’s become such a logo for mischief, that I feel as if plenty of kids who don it haven’t even heard a Misfits song. But they should! The Misfits (straight out of Jersey!) are a really important element to punk. Their dark and sinister lyrics made themselves innovators of horror punk, and probably the prelude to goth rock. Though let’s not really even begin to pigeon-hole them with goth-I’m just speaking about dark lyrics. And anyhow, their songs are far too catchy for that anyhow! “I Want your Skullllllllllllllllll. I NEEEEEEEEED your skkkkkkkkkuuuuuuulllllllllllll.” And Danzig’s voice is amazing- he’s like a punk tenor!

2. Suicidal Tendencies - Institutionalized

All I wanted was just one Pepsi!……I feel like this is my 4th song I’m using from the Repo Man Soundtrack. Not sure if that’s totally true, but it might be. That soundtrack is legit! Annnnnyhow, Suicidal Tendencies are skater hardcore 4 life! Usually their songs are ridiculously fast, and ranting about either how depressing life can be as a youth or Reagan. I respect that. This song is pretty slow for them, except for the chorus. Maybe we can call it their ballad? I find that amusing. I’ve been feeling kinda crazy recently, so I went with this classic. I feel like this song is written for me….Listen to all the lyrics, they’re thoroughly amusing. [Here's an excerpt: Sometimes I try to do things but it just doesn't work out the way I want it to, and I get real frustrated and then like I try hard to do it, and I like, take my time but it just doesn't work out the way I want it to. Its like, I concentrate on it real hard, but it just doesn't work out. And everything I do and everything I try, it never turns out. Its like, I need time to figure these things out, but theres always someone there going “hey mike, you know we've been noticing you've been having a lot of problems lately, you know? You need to maybe get away. And like, maybe you should talk about it, you'll feel a lot better.” And I'm all like “oh, nah, its ok, you know. I'll figure it out. Just leave me alone, I'll figure it out, you know? I'm just working on it by myself.]

3. Temple of the Dog - Hunger Strike

OK. After just going over the last two songs, I realize how ludicrous this song is. It’s like wuss central. I feel like I read somewhere (American Hardcore?), how this old punker couldn’t understand Pearl Jam, because it was everything he was running away from in the 70’s. But this song is classic. This is truly my generation of music. This is one of the most underrated songs of the 90’s. And I feel like the only reason for that is because nobody knows if it’s Soundgarden or Pearl Jam. Well it’s Temple Of the Dog- Chris Cornell (of Soundgarden) and Pearl Jam. But Vedder and Cornell share the vocal parts, which turned out just heavenly (Say Hello 2 Heaven!). This whole album is pretty stellar, but I’d say this is the highlight. Great riff and great vocals. What else can I say?

Jonathan’s Picks

1. Wiz Khalifa - Say Yeah

I got an email not long ago from an old DJ friend anxiously, but nervously, alerting me to the existence of this song. The motivation for his email had nothing to do with the quality of the track, but rather what it might mean to me. See, “Say Yeah” samples liberally from what I consider to be one of the biggest and most important trance records of all time, Alice DeeJay’s “Better Off Alone,” produced by Dutchmen Pronti & Kalamani. I happened to be in Paris in 1998 when “Better Off Alone” first dropped. (It didn’t reach the States for quite a while). And although I was already DJing at that point, playing mostly hip hop and reggae, this song was what made me fall in love with trance music, and I’ve never been able to shake the addiction, nor all the baggage that comes with it. Anyway, I scrounged as many copies as I could get my hands on from DJs and record shops all over Paris, and brought them all back to New York with me, proudly claiming “Better Off Alone” as my song to any DJ that would listen. And for a short time, it was. Now, ten years later, thanks to relatively unknown producer Johnny Juliano, it provides the infectious melody for Wiz Khalifa’s banger, “Say Yeah.” So with mixed emotions, here it is.

2. Plies Feat. Ne-Yo - Bust It Baby Pt. 2

The past few weeks I’ve used the Friday Writers’ Bloc space to make picks that were in some way related to whatever I’d written that week. This time around, I’m just selecting three new tracks — all hot — that I’m really feelin’, and that I think are going to be on everyone’s radar pretty soon. To be honest, my favorite thing about Plies other than his nonsensical stage name — what the hell does Plies mean? Anyone? — is his amazing real name: Algernod Lanier Washington. That’s right, Algernod. How he gets Plies out of Algernod I do not know. But I do know that when I first heard his debut hit, “Shawty” featuring T-Pain, last year, I liked what I heard. Since then Plies has moved quickly up the hip hop ladder, appearing on DJ Khaled’s “I’m So Hood” and Rick Ross’ official “Speedin’” remix, and going gold with his first album, The Real Testament. “Bust It Baby Pt. 2″ is a surefire hit, with a ridiculous beat from the ever-popular Jonathan “J.R.” Rotem, and an perfectly catchy hook from Ne-Yo, whose nickname should probably be Midas by now. Oh, and did I mention Plies is incredibly handsome?

3. Tyga Feat. Travis McCoy - Coconut Juice

Since it was just about 80 degrees last week in New York, not to mention the fact that we’re into May, I’m starting to feel summer coming on hard. I’m also starting to think that we’re going to be hearing Tyga’s debut single, “Coconut Juice,” all summer long. It could be “that song” that just seems to represent summer, with it’s summery, tropical, umbrella-in-your-drink, party feel. And frankly, it could be worse: I seem to remember being stuck with with “Shake Ya Tailfeather” from Nelly, Diddy, and Murphy Lee during the summer of 2003 thanks to the release of Bad Boys 2. And that song was just insufferably awful. At least Tyga’s a young, new artist with a clever, and well-timed debut song. He may be 18 years old and straight outta Compton, but don’t worry — he ain’t hard: Tyga is the younger cousin of Gym Class Heroes MC Travis McCoy, who is featured on “Coconut Juice,” and is apparently friendly with Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy. And we all know that just ain’t gangsta. Not even a little bit. Anyway, enjoy this potential summer hit, preemptively.

JustJake’s Picks

1. Doc Watson - Deep River Blues

It’s hard to pick out a single song that showcases all of Doc Watson’s talents. There are hundreds to choose from. “Deep River Blues,” off Doc’s 1964 eponymous album, is as good as any. Listen to the guitar style that strolls alongside you as you hear the words. This sound influenced countless young bluegrass and country pickers like Bryan Sutton, Tony Rice, and Norman Blake. Even if you look down on country music, it’s hard not to appreciate the unique sounds coming out of this blind man’s guitar.

2. Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - Toothbrush and My Table

Over the past four years or so, this band led by the soulful, sexy, and supremely talented Grace Potter has become a staple on the jamband circuit. Don’t let that fool you though, they don’t really jam and have evolved into a full-fledged rock band. The band’s most recent album This is Somewhere left much of their soulful roots behind. But, this track from 2005’s Nothing But the Water is Grace at her best. Try and resist the song’s sultry groove.

3. Sufjan Stevens - Ring Them Bells

Every so often a song grabs me and wont let go. I’m usually blindsided and subsequently spin the tune until it loses all its luster. I’m sure I’m not alone in this regard. Well, for the moment, this song, off the soundtrack to the 2007 Bob Dylan biopic flop I’m Not There, has got me. Sufjan’s cover of the relatively obscure Dylan song from his 1989 album Oh Mercy is a bright spot on what is otherwise a fairly lackluster soundtrack. But, it’s more than that. It is a modern-day genius’ transformation of a song that, in its original state is mediocre at best. In spite of (or maybe because of) its religious overtones, the song transcends. Oh, and its got one of the best guitar tracks in a pop song I’ve ever heard.

roswellmueller’s Picks

1. Paul Simon - The Cool, Cool River

You may not like Paul Simon, and you may like Paul Simon from the 80’s even less - but thats probably because you never listened to Rhythm of the Saints. While it reached #4 on the charts when released, the album didn’t lend itself to heavy radio-play - only generating one successful single - and has since been undeservedly lost in the shuffle of the years. Aside from maybe The Soft Bulletin, I don’t think there’s an album I enjoy listening all the way through more often. For shear listen-ability and album cohesion I would have to rank it as one of my all time favorite records. Give it a try - it won’t disappoint.

2. Kraftwerk - Computer Love

I’m including this for several reasons. One, I love this song, album, and Kraftwerk in general. These guy’s invented a genre of music and since then, very few people - if any - have come close to doing it better. Two, I heard that abominable Coldplay song (Talk) again the other day and felt a moral obligation to share the original with those who haven’t heard it. Also, way to go on calling the melding of sex and computers all the way back in 1981.

3. Beirut - Nantes

After a friend’s mix-tape introduced me to the band last year, I’ve been getting into their latest album - The Flying Club Cup - over the past few weeks. This song is an early/obvious favorite and a good introduction into the vaguely nostalgic, slightly foreign, but decidedly interesting sound cultivated by Zach Condon across two albums and an EP in between. Any attempt on my part to go deeper would be a sub-par parroting of the pitchfork review, but I will caution that while there are high points on Beirut’s albums there is a certain over-reaching quality to the music - it almost relishes in its foreignness - that smacks of the worst kind of smugness. That said, this is a great song.

Download this week’s Friday Writers’ Bloc playlist HERE

Sam Sparro is an intriguing character. Everything about him seems not exactly mysterious, but at least somewhat cloudy: his name, age, heritage, sexuality, religious influences, musical pedigree, lyrics, intentions, and sense of humor are all cloaked in one way or another. Even his album cover is a bit disguising.

And then there’s his music.

Don’t even try to define that.

House?…Soul?… Spoof?…Funk?

Electro?…Disco?…Religious?…Pop?

Electro-soul spoof-disco-pop mixed with religious- funk-house??? It’s enough to make you crazy.

Or maybe it’s just plain fun. Because when you get past Sam Sparro the man, and instead just focus on his music, things can get extremely enjoyable. But whether or not Sparro wants his listeners to ignore his upbringing, lifestyle, and motivations in order to just hear his music is up for debate. Though I think he’d like us to be able to understand him, I’d still love the chance to ask him how he feels. But there is one thing about Sam Sparro that is neither mysterious nor cloudy, complex nor confused. In fact it’s not even remotely questionable:

“Black and Gold,” the first single off Sparro’s just-released eponymous first album (Island 2008), is absolutely and completely undeniable. It is currently sitting at Number Two on the UK Singles Chart, bested only by the musical atrocity that is “4 Minutes” from Madonna and Justin Timberlake. (What? Bitter? Who, me? Nahhhhhh.) Sparro’s voice is remarkably dark and soulful, especially for a young, white, hipster-looking kid. He sings with a tinge of yearning and palpable sense of urgency — when Chaka Khan first heard Sparro sing years ago she’s said to have exclaimed, “Damn! That white boy can sing.” — and the accompanying beat is utterly infectious. It seeps slowly into you, and doesn’t leave easily.

Now I’m not claiming “Black and Gold” is a great song, or even a good one, though I happen to think highly of it. It’s just that you can’t deny it. It’s insistent. Kind of like “Young Folks” by Peter Bjorn and John — you may not even like their music (I don’t) or the song itself (meh), but there’s just something about it that ropes you in a little bit no matter what you do. The same is true of Sparro’s “Black and Gold.” You don’t have to be a loyal customer of whatever kind of music it is that Sparro is selling, you just can’t help but buy in, even if only for a second.

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So tomorrow, April 29th, marks the long-awaited (by some) return of crooner TQ to the R&B game, as he releases his 4th official album, Paradise (EMI 2008). To remind those who may have forgotten — or to inform those who weren’t paying attention — it was 1999 when TQ burst onto the R&B scene with his first single, “Westside,” a soulful homage to the West Coast hip hop scene and its most representative rappers, Eric “Eazy-E” Wright and Tupac Shakur.

TQ was a rather unique commodity when he first arrived in ‘99, one of the few proprietors of what might best be described as “Thug R&B,” paving the way for artists like Jaheim. His lyrics told street-worthy stories and used street-worthy language to do so. In fact, it was likely the hip hip vernacular TQ employed on “Westside” that kept the street anthem from climbing the U.S. charts. In other words, TQ was quite the departure from the then-popular R&B of K-Ci & JoJo, Usher, and Next, who hit big with “All My Life,” “You Make Me Wanna,” and “Too Close,” (aka the bane of high school principals everywhere) respectively.

After a few early spins of Paradise, it’s clear that TQ hasn’t abandoned his signature Thug R&B style, which is good to hear, as the album opens with the title track, “Paradise”: I grew up in the middle of a war zone, in a place where all reasoning was long gone / California dreamin’ was nightmares, and it shook a nigga straight to the bone. The second track, “Soulja,” follows the same road: This is the story, of a soldier / Cuz it takes one, just to know one / And it’s no fun, gotta fight on, like the Trojans / Come on holler if you hear me tonight. And of course, there are thug ballads too, including “Ebony Eyes” and “Ain’t The Same,” both of which are astonishingly honest and frank for a “thug.”

But two of the best, and most intriguing, tracks on Paradise are TQ’s renditions — or perhaps “appropriations” is the better word — of “Proud Mary,” which was written in 1969 by John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival, and “A Little Bit of Love” by New Edition circa 1986. Of course TQ puts his thug spin on both tracks, and somehow, both songs just…work, which is really quite a feat considering neither CCR’s nor New Editions’ styles were anything like TQ’s.

It will be interesting to see how Paradise is received by an R&B marketplace now dominated by the soft-core likes of Chris Brown, Ne-Yo, Mario, T-Pain, and, well…..Justin Timberlake. Yikes. Personally, I’m glad to get back to some good old-fashioned, grown-man R&B about man stuff, and away from the scrawny, eighteen-year -old, manufactured pop sensations who can’t be bothered to write their own material.

But will anyone else be?

TQ’s Official MySpace

- Jonathan

Despite all the acclaim their debut album, Mirrored, received last year, math rock outfit Battles still has their share of detractors. To some, listening to Mirrored was a cold, dead experience as their music lent almost very little, if any, soul or emotion. Fair, I say, but that does not make it any less of an incredible recording.

If anything, the vocals that multi-instrumentalist Tyondai Braxton (son of Anthony, the legendary saxophonist) lends to the songs makes their latest material far more accessible to the listener than the purely instrumental material released almost 4 years ago on the EP C and B EP records. His vocals may be indecipherable, but it adds a human quality that was lacking before. If you were familiar with the band before Mirrored, you were in awe of how precise and monumentally dense the performances were on record, you swore it had to have been done by robots. Daft Punk, eat your heart out.

My first experience with Battles was about 4 years ago when they supported The Icarus Line (remember when Penance Soiree was the shit for about a month?) on tour. Being new to the band when I first saw them, their performance blew me away with how simply incredible they were as musicians. You had to be there: my jaw hit the floor when Braxton and Ian Williams played the exact same melody on their keyboard while fingerpicking their guitars at the same time. John Stainer was an absolute beast on the drums. Watching them was like staring in awe at an enormous machine run like clockwork. But all the while the band hardly addressed the semi-hostile crowd, with the only acknowledgment coming in the form of garbled vocals from Braxton in between songs.

Fast-forward to last Wednesday night as Battles performed for a private audience at 86 in Hollywood as a warm-up for their Coachella gig that coming weekend. Fresh off their newfound fame from Mirrored, they breezed through a set off the album, including “Atlas,” “Leyendecker,” and the monstrous “Tonto.” Having seen them before I was knew what I was getting, but what amazed me most was how loose the band looked despite their music’s call for precision. Despite all the hopping around by Williams and Braxton, the notes came exactly when they were supposed to.

But perhaps the biggest surprise of the night came when Braxton greeted the audience with an unadulterated-by-knobs salute of “Wassup LA!” Battles had tore down the facade once and for all, and showed us that underneath the mechanized output was just some regular guys like you and me. That’s when you took a big sigh of relief and realized to yourself that you had made it out of Uncanny Valley.