PICTURE OF THE DAY: Virgin Mary Edition

Posted on December 22nd, 2009 by ekko

Holiday Sweaters-My First Earthquake

Silence Your Drum-Heavy Blinkers

Okay, today’s X-Mas tune has some Holiday stuff, but also other tunes as well. It’s a sampler from Vanguard Records featuring songs from Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers, Brandi Carlile, Joshua Radin, Josh Ritter, Needtobreathe, Greg Laswell, Meiko, Brett Dennen, Noise Addict, Dar Williams, Dawn Landes, Erin McKeown, Joe Purdy, Katie Herzig, Serena Ryder and The Watson Twins.

The price? Your e-mail addy. That’s it.

Go here for details.

JAY-Z and LUPE MIXTAPES

Posted on December 22nd, 2009 by ekko

If I have to sell this to you, you’ve never heard Lupe.

01 Intro
02 The National Anthem (Radiohead)
03 Turnt Up (Travis Porter)
04 Fireman (Yoga Flame) (Lil Wayne)
05 L.A.S.E.R.S. Manifesto Interlude
06 Angels (rmx) (Dirty Money)
07 So Ghetto (Jay-Z)
08 Say Something (Timabaland)
09 Thank You (Jay-Z)
10 The One (Slaughterhouse)
11 Popular Demand (Clipse)
12. Summit On The Summit (HP TV Commercial)

Get it.

Thanks to Smoking Section.

JAY-Z vs. BEANIE SIGEL!

Hear the ungrateful bitch dis his benefactor over and over!

GIT IT.

WE MISSED A BUNCH, BUT XMAS IS STILL COMING . . .

Posted on December 21st, 2009 by ekko

For some reason, my site got all fucked up the last day or so. So I’m republishing what should have been published, in one big post.

Local H Live at The Metro / Smart Bar on 1999-12-19

Come On Christmas (Cheap Trick cover)

Disgruntled Christmas

Run Rudolph Run (Chuck Berry cover)

Christmassong-Sound Cloud

O Christmas Tree-The Layaways

Away in a Manger-The Layaways

Santa Claus, True Love, and Freedom-JJ Grey (direct link)

O Holy Night-Quinn W. Shagbark

Silent Night-John Popper of Blues Traveller

Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies-Delta Nove

True North offers a Christmas collection on their page, free of charge, with songs by Bruce Cockburn and the Mojo Gurus, among others.

NEW LUPE FIASCO!

Posted on December 19th, 2009 by ekko

If I have to sell this to you, you’ve never heard Lupe.

01. Intro

01 Intro
02 The National Anthem (Radiohead)
03 Turnt Up (Travis Porter)
04 Fireman (Yoga Flame) (Lil Wayne)
05 L.A.S.E.R.S. Manifesto Interlude
06 Angels (rmx) (Dirty Money)
07 So Ghetto (Jay-Z)
08 Say Something (Timabaland)
09 Thank You (Jay-Z)
10 The One (Slaughterhouse)
11 Popular Demand (Clipse)
12. Summit On The Summit (HP TV Commercial)

Get it.

Thanks to Smoking Section.

J DAVIS TRIO-These Things Happen

Posted on December 19th, 2009 by ekko

Okay, most Jazz Hip Hop leaves me cold.  That’s a disclaimer right there.  But J. Davis Trio’s self-released album, “These Things Happen,” won me over.  Even though they sent me the clean version(!).

J. Davis Trio backs rappers with flows that are appropriately laid back for a Chicago jazz band.  I haven’t heard of any of the vocalists on the album—I’m assuming they’re all local talent—but their styles are all so similar that the album hangs together.

I suppose if you’re gonna compare this to something, it’s like Guru’s Jazzamatazz, A Tribe Called Quest, Bad Plus, or maybe some of Del Tha Funkee Homosapien’s more mellow work.  None of the rhymes are earth-shattering, but this kind of rap is directed more at mood than mind.  One more thing, be warned: There is profanity here, which I found a bit unexpected, but it actually ends up giving the album a little bit of edge and humor that helps elevate it above others in this genre.

Breezy

Court Is Now In Session

These Things Happen

PARKAS-You Should Have Killed Us When You Had the Chance

Posted on December 18th, 2009 by ekko

Whoever manages the band Parkas should be shot.  Seriously.  They were smart enough to quote my 2007 review of “Put Your Head In The Lion’s Mouth,” in which I said “I can’t think of a better rock and roll record that’s come out this year.”  But Christ on a popsicle stick, they went and released the band’s swansong in December of 2009, after every blogger of note has completed his year’s best list, and way too soon to be remembered on next year’s.  It’s those lists that move albums, guys.  I personally buy at least three or four records every year just because my favorite site told me to.

And “You Should Have Killed Us When You Had the Chance” would have made the list.  No doubt.  The album shows tremendous growth–it’s tight, hard, and pitch perfect.

Too bad it’s their last record. Why?  I don’t know.  But it’s very sad.  I hope they have good plans for what’s ahead for them, because this group of musicians is far too talented to fade away.  In addition to their incredible rock songs, the album features appearances by Fiona Stewart (Rock Plaza Central), Andrew Collins (Skeletones Four), Jesse Whiteside (Tacoma Hellfarm Tragedy), and Selina Martin.  

For fans of: Gaslight Anthem, The Clash, and good music.  No.  Great music.

They will be missed.  Sniff.

The Gang’s All Gone

CANIBUS AND VINNIE PAZ-Blood Brothers (Mixtape)

Posted on December 18th, 2009 by ekko

I’m conflicted.  Vinnie Paz is a legend as the muscular lyricist and main voice of one of the greatest underground hardcore rap groups of all time, Jedi Mind Tricks.  But Canibus is . . . Kind of lame.  I know he’s got his fans, but ever since Eminem completely destroyed him, I can’t think of him as anything but a big pussy.

“Blood Brothers” is a street album more than a mixtape–it’s well mixed, there’s no shouting DJ, and the songs are fully formed and complete.  And most of them are pretty damn good, too.  The Paz parts, at least, are consistently solid.  And Canibus is a lot better than I expected him to be.

It’s definitely a worthy mixtape.  But the real reason I’m tossing it up is because it’s timely.  The song “Black Christmas” is pretty damn funny.

Black Christmas

Get the whole thing

VIDEO OF THE DAY

Posted on December 17th, 2009 by ekko

“Frankenstein Saves Hip Hop” by Black Skeptik with Kosha Dillz.  This was dude’s Halloween release, yo.  He’s from Grand Rapids, Michigan, whose debut solo  album, “The One Drop Rule,” is expected in 2010 and has production from Blockhead and J Zone.  If it’s anywhere near as dope as this, I can’t wait to hear it.

Navigation

  • Mission Statement

    FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER.
  • FOLLOW ME ON TUMBLR http://www.tumblr.com/tumblelog/berkeleyplace WHAT THE HELL IS BERKELEY PLACE? "Berkeley Place" has been a blog since 2000.
  • Berkeley Place is also 6 blocks of Brooklyn real estate, emerging from Sackett St. and ending at Banana Hill, a small park that grows a foot each year from dog shit and the corpses of dead rats. Though its residents have gotten wealthier over the decades, Berkeley Place still houses folks of all backgrounds with interests in, well, everything.
  • WHAT THE HELL GOES ON HERE? Ekko reviews independent music, comic books, and whatever else interests him.
  • WHAT THE HELL IS INDIE MUSIC? An independent record label (or indie record label) is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. - Wikipedia.org That means they ain't in the RIAA, dude.

    HOW CAN I GET IN ON THIS?

    • Email me
      for the specifics but, basically:
    • I listen to all submissions of entire albums, not songs or compilations.
    • With rare exceptions I will not review material protected by the RIAA. So Sony, BMG, etc., don't start sending me crap. I'm not interested.
    • I don't listen to streams.
    • I won't read online comic-books. I may read .pdfs. I will read all hardcopy submissions.
    • I will review only submissions that I can recommend. I'm not here to do negative reviews.
    • Contact me to tell me to remove something. I'll take it down within 24 hours.
  • Comic Blog Elite
  • Tags!

  • Archives

  • I’M HYPED!

  • MMN

    Blog Directory Music Blogs Catlog Privacy Policy Quantcast Tag Blog Directory
  • 1.12.15/11.21.12

  • Copyright © 2009 Berkeley Place. Theme by THAT Agency but customised by Primitive. Powered by WordPress.