For Halloween this year, this great band covered The Rolling Stones’ “Some Girls” album–which is regarded by many as the band’s most offensive record. Wish I’d been there. But at least, through the wonders of the music archive, we can all hear it!
The Girl With The Faraway Eyes
BONUS (from another show):
Tags: Horror, Messiah, Picture of the day, Zombies
Wisconsin’s The Chairs is self-releasing “Nine Ways,” and you get it right now digitally at their site. It’s good stuff. Very indie, somewhat eclectic. The lyrics are well thought out, the vocals odd and intense, the beats distinct, and the hooks overflow. And if you order it, you also get a hardcopy CD when those are released in November.
All of ‘em, from the archive . . .
Levitation [13th Floor Elevators]
It Never Rains In Southern California [Albert Hammond]
Plastic Fantastic Lover [Jefferson Airplane]
Femme Fatale (Velvet Underground)
Can’t Seem To Make You Mine [The Seeds]
Long Haired Lady (Quicksilver Messenger Service)
Tags: Best of 2009
I’m almost afraid to publish this, since I know I’ll get all kinds of grief about it. Before you comment on what a dope I am for omitting Graduation/Fishscale/Speakerboxxx/etc., please read the title of this post again. Only independent releases were considered. But this did include street albums and mixtapes.
Another point: I debated whether to segregate out rap records, and decided to do so only because I haven’t seen too many bloggers writing decade-rap lists, so I thought this might help fill a void.
Okay, now you can tell me how little I know about rap and what a hater I am and blah blah blah. You bore me. Of all the rap albums that came out between 2000 and now, these 15 moved me the most.
Period.
15 (tie). D.J. Cinema and D.J. Mello-The Commission (a.k.a.-B.I.G. and Jay-Z, The Album that Never Was) (2005-Mixtape) and Bobb Deep-Queensbridge (200?-DJ Swindle). These are both “blends,” but they’re the two best blend tapes I’ve ever heard. You can still get Bobb Deep for free here, and I’m sure if you dig around datpiff you’ll find The Commission, too.
14. Dangermouse and Jemini-Ghetto Pop Life (2004-Lex). Find better beats. I dare you.
13. DJ Muggs and GZA-Grandmasters (2005-Angeles). Tough and rugged, this is RZA and Muggs at their finest. And they didn’t need a major label to do it!
12. The Coup-Pick a Bigger Weapon (2006-Epitaph). A duo that is consistently challenging, raw, conscious and hilarious. The Public Enemy for 2000s underground rap.
11. Brother Ali-The Undisputed Truth (2007-Rhymesayers). It breaks my heart that this one didn’t make it into the top ten, especially since I voted it best rap album of the year in 2007, but I had to be honest and Ortiz edged Ali out. But just barely. A rare example of an intelligent, challenging rap album that also has great beats and flow.
10. Joell Ortiz-The Brick: Bodega Chronicles (2007-Koch). Big Pun lives!
9. Masta Ace-A Long Hot Summer (2004-Yosumi). Was Ace done by the end of the 1990s? No f-in’ way. He also gets my vote as one of the most important rappers of the entire decade. Just sayin’.
8. Atmosphere-Lucy Ford:The Atmosphere EPs (2001-Rhymesayers). My favorite Atmosphere release, hands down. Slug is a champ.
7. Joe Budden-Mood Muzik 2: Can It Get Any Worse? (2002-DJ On Point). Joey! It’s . . . It’s . . . It’s that on top MU-zik!
6. Lil’ Wayne-Dedication 2 (2006-DJ Drama). Not a huge fan of Weezy, but this mixtape is undeniable.
5. MF DOOM-Operation Doomsday (2008-Metal Face). Dumile is on the list twice, and both in the top 5. You got a problem with that?
4. Clipse-We It 4 Cheap Vol. 2 (2005-Mixunit). In Volume 1, Clipse released a world of anger about issues with their label, but in Volume 2 they hit a groove I’ve never heard them hit before or since. They took over great beats and made them their own. Check out “Hate It Or Love It,” “The Corner,” and “Daytona 500,” and tell me the Clipse versions aren’t as good as the originals.
3. Lupe Fiasco-Fahrenheit 1:15 Vol. 2, Revenge of the Nerds (2006-Mixtape). I’m picking this one, but really any of his pre-official-release mixtapes are great. I loved his first album, published on a major label, but his second one, “The Cool,” left me cold. Fastest burnout in hip hop history.
2. 50 Cent-Power of the Dollar (2000-Mixtape). It’s trendy to hate on Fiddy these days—and with good reason. He hasn’t done anything worth listening to in years. But the power of his first street album is undeniable. It was so good, it got Columbia records to sign him and then force him to change everything about himself that made this album so good in the first place.
1. Madvillain-Madvillainy (2004-Stones Throw). MF DOOM also got my vote for most important rapper of the decade, based on the consistent quality and groundbreaking nature of all of his official releases and collaborations. He seems never content to do the same thing twice. As for Madvillainy, even some of my rap-hating friends dig it.
Tags: 50 Cent is Whack, Best of the Decade, Hip Hop, MF Doom, Mixtape
This is a review of a rap record. No, not really. But kinda. It’s that more-spoken-than-sang kinda country-blues that makes every song sound old, established, rootsy and timeless. And you’d never expect this kind of music from a guy who looks like Grant Peeples.
He’s got love songs, lost and forlorn in the traditional country way (“Bluebird in My Heart”), but he’s also got a good bunch of focused anger, political and leftist (“Searching For A Sign”). It’s always refreshing to hear music that has a level of conscious protest to it. There’s nothing wrong with broken hearts and bling, but songs about the state of the Nation are in far-too-short supply these days, given the state of our country.
And one of the coolest things about him is his self-distribution plan: Grant will send you his latest album, Pawnshop, if you ask him to. That’s it. If you get it and dig it, then you can send him 15 bucks. He calls it “The New Deal.” Just e-mail him at order@grantpeeples.com. Seriously.
Okay, so it’s fun at first, but we’re still trying to get the smell off the damn copier.
Tags: Picture of the day, Tushie
So I’m trying something different right now. I’m going to link to 10 blogposts that I think are particularly good.
I’m going to ask you, my readers, to thumb-up or digg or whatever both this post and some of the ones I linked to, if you like them.
Then, I’m going to ask the owners of those blogs that I link to to make their own posts, linking to me and to some posts that they like. Then ask their readers/bloggers to do the same. None of those bloggers know I am doing this. I’m hoping this will help build out little community (as well as drive traffic to some of our favorite little sites).
Finally, if you want to be on my blogroll, drop me a comment or an e-mail. I’m happy to trade links. Ups the Google scores and all, y’know.
Please help make this work!
1. Ryan’s got a post on Middle Distance Runner. I wonder why they didn’t contact me about their new work . . . I’ve been hyping them for years! But I won’t take it personal.
2. Cara posted on U2 and Jay-Z sharing the stage.
3. I’m not sure I get this, but I think it’s funny. I think . . .
Courtesy of this site.
4. To Die By Your Side has Bon Iver covering Feist.
5. AWMusic reviews the new Weezer. Never been a big fan, but I appreciate them.
6. Blowin’ Your Cover doesn’t post nearly often enough, but they recently posted five covers of Big Star’s “13″.
7. Fong can always be counted on for coolness and oddness. Recent posts have included Red Hot Chili Peppers covering Coldplay, Ben Kweller covering Neil Young, and Neil Diamond covering Adam Sandler (!)
8. Moka’s always got a cool mix.
9. Like “Best Of” the year/decade lists? Go to LHB. He’s got ‘em all!
10. Pigeons and Planes have some new cuts from Birdman. Not a fan, but I know a lot of you are.
11. And just so this one goes up to eleven, here’s some tunage! All live, direct links.
I Used to be a Cop-Patterson Hood
Psycho Killer-Mars Retrieval Unit
Don’t You Forget About Me-Perpetual Groove
And speaking of The Breakfast Club, how do you like them now?
No, not the old them, the new them:
If you’re not watching Community, I’m mad at you. Because I so don’t want this show to be cancelled. It’s by the folks who did Arrested Development, and they took that show away too early, too.
Are they twee? Precious? Cute? Yes. Talented as well? Definitely yes. Star & Micey’s self titled debut album is chok full of:
- Touching, funny, touchy-feely lyrics. On “Salvation Army Clothes,” a jilted lover says, “You’re a fool for letting all the good people go/Like Salvation Army clothes.”
- Great guitar work. See the break on “Salvation Army clothes.”
- Neat guest stars like Luther “The Black Crowes” Dickinson; Jody “Big Star” Stephens; and Rick “Lucero” Steff.
- Terrific vocals, with range and emotion. You can practically hear the tears on “So Much Pain.”
Vocalist/songwriter Joshua Cosby, bass player Geoff Smith, and lead guitarist Nick Redmond got it going on here.
