sintalentos

I Don't Look Back

2011-12-31T09:00:00.053-05:00

Credit: Dan Nishimoto

I'm happy to have tonight off. Forgoing NYE partyin' to 'sit for the nephew and niece instead. Much less anxiety, nah mean?

I've got a few friends with b-days tonight, tho'. And I know some of y'all will go hard. So, after the clock strikes 12, the ball drops and you've heard "Party Rock Ig'nance" for the umpteenth time, treat your hips to some after-hours jams:

2012 jump-off

PS: Those on the e-list got the latest seasonal blends, but 'tis the season:

fall 2011
winter 2011

Listomania: 2011

2011-12-31T07:00:00.002-05:00

2010 was colorful. I experimented with new jobs, went hard on the freelance DJ'g and writing, and, oh, got hitched. Last year's lists reflect both the kaleidoscopic joy of the time, as well as the escape music provided.

2011 had its share of struggles, but the year was more stable and consistent. The list reflects that: the music is often calm, the readings patiently explore process, and the visuals reflect more than strike. As usual for me, there are plenty of nods to the past. PJ Harvey's circular connection between wars present and past is quite literal. However, I was more affected by Louis CK or Todd Hanson's raw reflections. Or even Juicy J's admission, "You say no to drugs / Juicy J can't." My 30s are making a lot more sense than my 20s. And 40s doesn't seem as frightening so much as a part of the package (at least one to be appreciative of reaching). We constantly work towards change while learning to accept our core characteristics, no matter the beauty or ugliness.

Cheers to your new year. Looking forward to chopping it up with you again in '12.

Top Albums
Louis CK - Hilarious
Bill Callahan - Apocalypse
WTF w/ Todd Hanson
PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
Black Keys - El Camino
Waka Flocka Flame - Duflocka Rant (10 Toes Down)
The Fruits - Fruits! Fruits! Fruits!

Albums I Need to Catch Up On
Bjork - Biophilia via an iPad
Beach Boys - Smile Sessions box set
Eagerly awaiting this Fugazi show

Top Songs

Beyonce "End of Time"
Amy Winehouse "Valerie (Screwed Version)"
Jacques Greene "Another Girl"

Colin Stetson & Shara Worden "Lord I Just Can't Keep From Crying Sometimes"

Clams Casino "I'm God"

Nettle "Radio Flower"

Bill Callahan "Universal Applicant"

Kendrick Lamar "Rigomortis"
Roc Marciano "My Persona"
M83 "Midnight City" & "Intro (Feat. Zola Jesus)"

Danny Brown "30"
Morgan Zarate "Hookid"
PJ Harvey "The Last Living Rose"
Lonely Island "Jack Sparrow"
Bjork "Crystalline (Omar Souleyman Remix)"

Juicy J "A Zip and A Double Cup"

Top Videos

Diplo "Original Don"
Diplo cops/co-opts the best beats... and the most memeable videos, too. Extra points for the Welcome to the Johnsons-esque take on the house's interior design.

Erykah Badu "Gone Baby, Don't Be Long"

Flying Lotus x Beeple 4eva.

New Pornographers "Moves"
Tom Scharpling x Ted Leo x Todd Barry x John Oliver x Hannibal Burress x Kevin Corrigan! Best video ever.

Guy singing "Niggas in Paris" on NYC subway
New Yorkers may sit on top of the East, but Phillians and Bmorians have enough soul to openly dance in the streets. So credit this ecstatic New Yorker for taking his bedroom dance to the city's first stage, the subway. Here's proof that the best videos in life often come from life itself.

きゃりーぱみゅぱみゅ (Kyari Pamyu Pamyu) "PONPONPON"
...and here's an example of one of the best videos coming from so far outside of life as we know it.

Keep It Live 3: Locking Showcase by Shyguy, Tsuyoshi and Boogiewalker

Jessica Koslow has been giving breaking down various hip-hop dances for LA Weekly's West Coast Sound blog. Every post features great clips, but I'm partial to locking and Japanese dancers

Keith Richards interview at NYPL
and
Mannie Fresh's Red Bull Academy interview
Laugh all you want, but the candor and specificity of these musicians' recollections need to be documented for future scholars.

Lil Buck and Yo-Yo Ma

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Nonesuch-ification of African-American youth culture.

Worst Videos
Young L "Respect My Dick"
This is one of those Chris Rock "Remember when it wasn't so hard to defend rap?" moments where all the talk of rap not being the only mass media culture with a history of violence against women and the history of African oral traditions and technical innovations go to pot. This is a pretty inexcusable song from a generally musically interesting guy. The video kind of helps as it starts with a seemingly ironic dream bubble sequence. But using a torture scenario, whether you're Joe Kanye or Joe Who?, is in all cases wrong.

Jacuzzi Boys "Glazin'"
I'm not asking WWJD, I'm asking what would I like my child to do?

Jean Nipon "Cairo"
Chalk up this schlocky shocker to poor timing, but the over-the-top violence is additionally disturbing in light of being released on 1/9, a day after the Tucson shootings.

The Deadsets "One Hour"
More gore for gore's sake.

Reading
Dan Charnas The Big Payback (and Noz' addendum "Notes on 'The Big Payback'")

Yes, I know this came out last year. In my defense, it was late last year. And I didn't get my copy until '11.

Robin D.G. Kelley Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original

Yes, I also know this came out in '09. I'm a slow reader. And, no, I'm not finished yet. But I've been savoring every word.

Ta-Nehisi Coates "A Muscular Empathy," "Cream of the Earth, Was Here First" & his series of "The Civil War Isn't Tragic" posts

Alyssa Rosenberg "Six Thoughts About Misogyny and Popular Culture"

The Doogie Howser of cultural-political writing, but age ain't nothin' but a number, right? Rosenberg x Think Progress = What? Yglesias left? I know they write on completely different topics, but Rosenberg is always so insightful and to-the-fucking-point. This particular post was a slam-dunk.

Keith Richards Life

Digging into Just Kids next. The best part? Fun stuff for both the critics and the people!

Arthur Rimbaud A Season in Hell

Didn't know anything about him 'til I read a New Yorker piece which made him sound like a gay, 19th-century Tupac. Not in the thug life way, but more in the I Just Don't Give A Fuck/contradictory way. Trying to prep myself to dig into the new translation of Illuminations, which came out this year.

Lawrence Wright The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11

More vintage reads, but really great stuff. I paid more attention to Wright this year -- totally accessible political writing -- and felt this was a great follow-up to Legacy of Ashes, which I read last year. I am looking for a copy to own, so I can re-read.

Quinn Norton at Wired's Threat Level blog

Her coverage of Anonymous, in particular, has been helpful.

Geeta Dayal's feature on Conrad Schnitzler (also her interview with Max Mathews)

I love Geeta's writing and her interests. I also love Max Mathews' "Bicycle Built For Two."

Alice Marwick and Dana Boyd The Drama! Teen Conflict, Gossip and Bullying in Networked Publics

Oh. My. God. Becky. Look at this paper. It's so... right!

Kembrew McLeod and Peter DiCola Creative License: The Law and Culture of Digital Sampling

J-Zone "When Rappers Get Day Jobs"

The writing isn't particularly sharp, but I don't expect much from J-Zone. The reality and storytelling, however, is crushing. Add "rapper" to that list of 0.001%er careers.

NY Mag "Rude Boys: The Birth of the Beastie Boys--an oral history on the 25th anniversary of 'Licensed to Ill'"

Bittersweet nostalgia.

Noz' Biggie defense "Stay Low & Keep Firing"

Bitter nostalgia.

M. Molly Backes "How To Be a Writer"

A very cute piece referenced in Ta-Nehisi Coates' Atlantic Monthly blog, but definite food-for-thought as the kids in my family grow to the age where they begin to read/write.

Watching

Only a handful of truly memorable films this year. Absolutely loved the 3-D in Herzog's Cave of Forgotten Dreams. The depth of vision made me feel like an armchair spelunker. Wish I saw it more than once while it was in the theater. On the other hand, I saw Drive twice. That felt indulgent, but the occasional pulp fiction is good fun. On the other hand, the internet provided its share of highlights. Louie continues to be Hilarious. The Catholic school/guilt episode is still my favorite, but I especially loved the Joan and USO tour eps. Finally caught up on Breaking Bad. Just going to add my two hands to the critical applause. Tons of great vintage stuff on YouTube, particularly a touching BBC doc on Gene Vincent, circa the late '60s (especially touching after reading Michael Hall's feature on the last years of Bill Haley). An interview with Kurt Cobain (with Erica Ehm of Canada’s Much Music TV channel) a few months before his death was also fantastic. The clip is long-ish by internet standards (23 minutes), but brief for anyone who has conducted interviews. Much of the commentary around the interview is about how lucid Cobain sounds. Better still is how genuinely patient and engaging he is with the young interviewer (she doesn't recognize several of his references). It's a new window into a man who had a profound impact on my generation.

And The Trip was actual ROFL. And a surprisingly touching meditation on mid-life manias. I went back to Coogan's Alan Partridge stuff. Armando Iannucci is brilliant. I'd put him up with Gervais. I tried watching Saxondale, but found it a bit predictable. Maybe I should give it a second chance?

On a side note, I feel relegated to mention the ATCQ doc. It was fun to watch in a theater with heads bobbing and mouths mouthing lyrics. But I need to kick myself in the butt and get on that comprehensive Native Tongues history I've been dreaming of doing since I was a teenager. The doc does a commendable job of covering the stickier parts of the group's dynamic, but is hardly news to even the passing fan. A more interesting story would have been about the rise of the Native Tongues, but, I know, that's not just an ATCQ story.

Looking

Youth

Baby Whisperer

LINER NOTES
Brak Flag

Charts!
Defaced LP covers
Nio
Blueberry Kush
Ema
Bento Lunch Box Album Covers
Hiroshima: United States Strategic Bombing Survey @ ICP, then Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum later in the year

Scrap Book

Experiencing a Lil B conversion with my Berkeley homie

...followed by seeing one of James Levine's last concerts before his spate of cancellations (with the same homie)

When I take my half-Mexican niece to the park, no one bats an eye. When I take my white niece to the park, moms give me hard stares. I'm not making that up.
The Brasil-like baby-faced shortie at HalloWEEN

The photo pit of Nas and The Roots

Tokimonsta showing up Samiyam... and possibly Daedelus?
Reggie Watts and LCD Soundsystem covering "Stand On The Word"

Marc Maron's visit to the Creation Museum

The Big 4 is probably my first and only metal show. For a while.
Were they serving booze at Shirley Caesar's show?

The pair of 26-year-olds that stole Aziz Ansari's 7.30 Bell House show

My aunt pretending to carry a baby

Worst Tattoos
Gucci Mane's face Ice Cream Cones and lightning bolts
T-Pain's arm has a Facebook "Like" logo
This guy's face reads Free Lil Boosie
Zac Efron has a Drake tattoo; She tattooed Drake on her face
Fred Bosch's QR Code/"Random" tattoo

Worst Request
"Any Maroon 5."

LINER NOTES: 2011

2011-12-30T09:00:00.012-05:00

2011 playlist.

A year-and-a-half ago Nate and I started our live model drawing sessions. Each step has been intuitive. Nate wanted to draw. I wanted to provide music. We both like to drink. For the first few months, we didn't even have a name. It was just a date, a place and some simpaticos. We eventually cobbled together a clunky name, +DRAWING+MODEL+MUSIC+BEER+, and began attracting "regulars," as well as a rotating cast of charming guest stars. One name-change, a Google Pay account and another calendar change later, LINER NOTES chugs along with -- dare I say it? -- a purpose.

We love providing a forum to fan a creative spark. Artists and newbies alike make our hearts race. When you come through that rickety door with a tight chest and leave with relaxed shoulders, we know we've done our jobs. Our pleasures are simple -- Nate loves to draw, I love to play music -- so we don't worry about whether we get our jollies. However, when you come out and undergo this process of coordinated looking and listening with us, we always look at each other like, "Did that *really* happen?" We're lucky to have you and thank you very much.

---

Late December calls for lookbackyness, so we turned to you. Who cares about D&N's favorite jams of 2011 -- what were our favorite jams? Many of you don't settle for sloppy Top 40, so there was no surprise that NPR/P4K faves PJ, Tune-Yards and Bon Iver made the cut. Y'all also keep the candle burning on film, as well, so Ryan Gosling's soundtrack had to make an appearance.

Sure, we're getting older, so our tastes continue looking back in nostalgia. Wu-Tang x Fugazi = more proof of Rock's thesis that you'll always love the soundtrack you lost your virginity to. Then again, young lion Kendrick Lamar is a stunning exception to the rule for running circles around fools with couplets like: "And this is riga-mortis /and it's gorgeous when you die"

I briefly met Shara Worden when she performed with Sarah Kirkland Snider at WNYC. Yes, she is wee. And, yes, her voice is stunning. My Brightest Diamond deserves its accolades, but none of this prepares you for her Blind Wilie Johnson chops. Her voice moans through moldy floorboards like gales of phantom winds. Of course, credit Colin Stetson for building the decrepit manor that attempts to house her words. Good thing I never went whole hog in the horn game: Colin is killin' it.

Louis C.K. set the tone for the evening's close, because, fuck, it's been the year of Louis/Louie. His album Hilarious is great. His DIY special is actually that: "special." Thank you for reminding us of what is actually awesome, and for painting the sound, fury and utter banality of parenthood.

---

Thank you all again for another lovely year of doodles, jams and late-night gabs. We'll be back on January 25. Be ready to continue kickin' it.

LINER NOTES: Forever 27

2011-12-29T09:00:00.000-05:00

Forever 27 playlist.

How often do you get to mention Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Freaky Tah in the same sentence?

Amy Winehouse's death this summer brought back to mind a morbid (and growing) "club" of rock stars who passed at the age of 27. Big air quotes around “club.” The concept of artists bonded by coincidence is as artificial as any rockist's jaw-topic can get. There is a vague suggestion of the rock cliche: to die before fading away. However, for anyone who has lost a loved one due to addiction, depression or even accident knows there is nothing glamorous about burning too quickly. Christopher Hitchens may not have regretted that second bottle, but even he had to take pause over his behavior in light of leaving his children early. How trite it is to toss off, "Morrison, Cobain, Winehouse. R.I.P."

However, for the purposes of drawing, the 27 Club makes for a strangely ideal Liner Notes session. It is filled with genius artists from a range of genres and times. So it's a chance for lesser-known comrades to share airspace with celebrities. For example, we have Brian Jones' crucial contributions to the Stones (according to Keef there would be no Stones without Jones). Of course, there is the godfather of all this rawk, blues legend Robert Johnson. Jacob Miller is crucial to Jamaican popular music, yet hardly a Marley or Tosh. D. Boon of the Minutemen epitomized DIY ethics that so many of us take for granted. Yes, I'm even pointing at you, Etsy contributor. So, the line between Jimi, Janis and Jim’s hits and Johnson, Jones and Boon becomes clearer.

Perhaps Big Star's Chris Bell encapsulates this idea. "Every night I tell myself, I am the cosmos," he sings on the title track of his I Am The Cosmos solo LP. Chris is the cosmos, as much as Linda Jones or Kurt Cobain. You need to hear all these artists, big and small, to form a more complete picture.

LINER NOTES: Anti-Pop

2011-12-28T09:00:00.001-05:00

Anti-Pop playlist.

If rock 'n' roll were to be reduced to a hand gesture, it would be the middle finger. Rock is meant to be contrarian. Think of the great blues, rhythm & blues, rockabilly, rock, soul, funk, punk, disco, new wave, hip-hop, etc. songs and you hear pain, stories of the Not and, well, the blues. Rock's tendency is to grow up and fall back into the fold. But its puberty phase is always a beast of hormonal rage.

In this sense, LINER NOTES: Anti-Pop honors a long-standing tradition in rock: biting the hand. Why wonder whether a rocker's successful debut of angst, anger and agitation will be followed by more AAA? There's always something there to annoy a pop star -- even said success. Elvis had the foresight to freely admit this in "Radio, Radio." But a wedding and Joni Mitchell actually sparked this theme.

While putting together music for a wedding, a couple requested Mitchell's "You Turn Me On I'm A Radio." It's a peculiar song in that it's one of Mitchell's certifiable hits, but not one of her more characteristic. It is un-romantic, choppy and, well, "a little bit corny." I had never paid the song much attention, and a closer listen paid in funky dividends. Several stories behind the song point to Mitchell's frustration over being pressured to write a hit. The resulting image of being likened to a passive radio is so evocative of the time, it could actually be accused of being overly romantic. And for some reason reminds me of Radiohead's gruesome analogy of "Creep" feeling like an iron lung to the band. And so we are off to the races.

The Nevermind anniversary undoubtedly suggested I should revisit Nirvana's catalog, but the band is perhaps the preeminent tortured stars of my teen years. While that album has its share of pop snark, I still marvel at the bile in In Utero. Talk about golden handcuffs.

Fiona Apple came to mind, but another (tonally contrasting) wedding introduced me to Sara Bareilles, a pop singer-songwriter with a dull edge (i.e., she says "shit"). "Bottle It Up"'s swooping melody and incessant incantation of "Love" is mind-numbingly boring, but she front-ends the lobotomy with a hint of cynicism -- "There'll be girls across the nation that will eat this up." You're a fool to sing along to this. See how much better it is when the plan doesn't come together?

Admittedly, not every song here is certified pop. The Undertones are underground. They Might Be Giants' "Hey, Mr. DJ I Thought You Said We Had A Deal" dates to its Dial-A-Song period. And who really pressured LCD Soundsystem to write a hit? However, The Kinks' Lola Vs Powerman And The Moneygoround and De la Soul's Buhloone Mind State may lack placards, but they are seminal records outlining the pains of going pop.

The relative lack of cash success behind all these records perhaps make writing these sorts of songs less appealing. However, so long as success can be measured in rock, count on a rocker to call bullshit on it.

LINER NOTES: #OWS

2011-12-27T21:31:00.000-05:00

#OWS playlist.

Occupy Wall Street is a no-brainer theme. The music angle has been present since Neutral Milk Hotel's Jeff Mangum shared an impromptu performance mere days into the NYC occupation. Soon after musicians of all generations -- '60s icons Joan Baez and Pete Seeger on one end, contemporaries Talib Kweli and Fitz & The Tantrums on the other -- flocked. The theme writes itself.

Leave it to my roundabout way of thinking to approach this theme from the back alley. One of the main conversation points of the OWS movement has been income inequality, which brought to mind Billy Paul's post-Watergate stress-ball "Let the Dollar Circulate," (which I came to via Spacek's 2005 single "Dollar"). Lush song with a tough message. And got me thinking, who else has stepped up like this? We live in an era of pop philanthropy, there should be countless other sterling examples, right?

The few who call out the evil of greed are an unsurprising yet motley bunch. There are self-made philosopher/musicians the Minutemen and boho-icon Tracy Chapman. There are also didactic democrats Fugazi and embittered folk hero Shawn Phillips. Though the styles and tone range greatly, the overall sentiment is coherent. Each song recognizes a systemic or societal flaw, then seethes or seeks to uplift.

To be honest, I wasn't too happy with parts of this set. Fugazi has better songs than "Greed." And "Share the Wealth" and "Talkin' Bout a Revolution" sound dated and overly earnest. And closing with "This Little Light of Mine" felt both predictable and tangential. Maybe the essence of this theme was flawed?

I got my answer a couple weekends ago at, of all places, a children's Hanukkah concert. I joined my in-laws and a few of the fam's kids for a show by ShirLaLa, a veteran children's musician. Her set of interactive, holiday-themed chunes was plenty lively and engaging. However, her closer was the aforementioned spiritual standard. Never mind this was a Hanukkah concert in a synagogue in front of an audience predominantly made up of congregants. "This Little Light of Mine" speaks to the core of joyful compassion, yet has enough flexibility to be adapted to any context or time. Feeling that spirit take root in a room of kids and parents was a much-needed reaffirmation.

Expect more of these themes in '12, with or without an occupation.

(fast fwd to 6:25)

LINER NOTES: First Draft

2011-12-26T17:29:00.001-05:00

First Draft playlist.

Happy Holidays! Did you enjoy celebrating a birthday in the company of a fine-smelling tree? Are you in the midst of honoring your peoples with some lit candles? Did you just start reaffirming your rootedness in African culture? Maybe you just want to stimulate the economy? Or simply enjoy your hard-earned federal holiday?

Nate and I are honoring the various winter holiday traditions by taking a little break from the LINER NOTES drawing sessions (yes, we switched up the name from the less rollsoffthetongue +DRAWING+MODEL+MUSIC+BEER+) until late January. That said, we have a backlog of playlists to post. And I'd be remiss as a music journo to not join the fracas of year-end list-making. So, all week I'll be posting past playlists (both here on the blahg and the F-book) and lists of various musical musings of mine from 2011. Here's the first, some notes from November 30's LINER NOTES: First Draft:

---

"First Draft," or demo night, was the culmination of a life-time of record-collecting mania. Even before I began buying my own shitty, post-new wave, alterna-jams, my older brother/first roommate introduced me to KROQ's Rodney on the Roq -- the closest thing to John Peel in early '80s Los Angeles. Sure, Rodney spun the radio staples that everyone knew. But he also broke countless bands by playing fresh, raw demos. Say whu -- a demo?

Songs and rock bands are like superheroes: they usually have an origin story. At least with comic books, origins or debuts may become rare, but were (in theory) once widely available. Spider-Man was introduced whole-hog in Amazing Fantasy #15. Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27, but readers quickly learned his roots in issue #33.

Finding the roots of a song or band can be trickier mostly due to the nature of a demo. The demo, at least pre-internet, was often a rough recording of a song, or at least an idea of what a song (and, by extension, the band could be). They were originally intended for record companies to determine whether to sign a band or to use a song. Demos could be consumed by those outside the ivory Capitol Records tower, but only the knowing few. After all, demos were not meant for public consumption.

Subsequently, demos could be mythologized, sought after and traded in semi-secret. And, like comic books, I quickly learned the class system of music nerds: those who just knew the basics; those who knew the basics and the better; and those who didn't fuck with the basics, and only fucked with/owned/collected the better.

My first job bread went to buying music, but I was never savvy or outgoing or moneybag-laden enough to land U2 demos or Black Flag bootlegs. Seemed I would always hear about the other side, but never actually know it.

It's brickinthehead-worthy to say something as pat as, "The Internet Changed Everything." But it did. Really, the last few years changed everything. Access to knowledge, more specifically streaming, listenable music, is ridiculously available. Once upon a time, I heard murmurs of Achtung Baby rehearsal tapes. Now, I can rewind Bono's admonition of Adam at any time.

Sure, not everyone jumps to hear music in draft form. Then again, considering how we carefully build up poses in a typical LINER NOTES session, such a meta theme seemed appropriate. We build up drawings from quick sketches of dynamic poses to full-fledged pictures of subtle poses, so why not simultaneously listen to some songs mid-construction?

The coincidental discovery of the early '80s R.E.M. demos practically begged us to pursue this theme. And what better way to open the session with the warped burst of "Radio Free Europe?" The Biggie and Nas demos, which have circulated for a while (by internet standards) continue to provide conversation fodder with dramatically earnest snapshots of pre-celeb DOA perennials. However, bring back a chestnut like the Artifacts' "Wrong Side of Da Tracks." It differs little lyrically from its final version, yet has a contrasting aggression simply due to the pause between "bomb like Vietnam" and "The same name Tame One..."

The commercial version of PJ Harvey's "Sheela-Na-Gig" stinks. Its air is musty, sour and thick. Yet its over-driven guitars, especially in light of its distant cousin Nirvana's "Rape Me" the following year, dates it to a certain vintage year of pungent rawk. It's too much. But in demo form, stripped of affect and strummed with a tight fist, the song slowly secretes lust and works its way around you. Ok, maybe not the best drawing song, but a slow-burner for the mid-length poses.

U2's Berlin sessions from the early '90s were legendary at the time. They marked the leaking of an album prior to the album's final completion. Hell, even little teenage me heard about it. Understandably, the band was upset, but the recordings are great. They're boring, long-winded, and seemingly endless. Bono bosses bassist Adam Clayton around, ordering him to play certain lines and where to stand. *Where to stand.* That is fucking annoying. And then you realize the work required to form these songs. For any aspiring musician or even the most passing music fan, this understanding doesn't spoil the magic of pop music -- it embellishes the greatness of each hard-earned part.

This was one of my favorite themes of the year. Any interest in revisiting in '12?

+DRAWING+MODEL+MUSIC+BEER+: Small World & POWER & News Of The World

2011-07-18T00:57:00.001-04:00

Small World playlist

POWER playlist

News of the World

&

summer 2011

Wow. A lot of catching up to do.

We've been back at the mansion for the past two sessions. As always, the space is dramatic, yet embracing. No doubt, the model responds by taking advantage of the grand piano, plush couch or various potential props laying about. And the community feeds off that energy with some off-the-wall interpretations (we'll post images from the last few sessions to the F-book page shortly). Lately, we've seen a lot of mixed media: sharpies, watercolors and unknown color sticks found in the depths of an office drawer. And we love 'em all -- keep it up, y'all.

The music has been increasingly informed by current events. 2011 is shaping up to be a banner year for attention-grabbing headlines. Only made sense to respond via the POWER and News of the World (the latter morphed into spying and creepy looking more than anything else) themes. By comparison, Small World -- or covers of songs in foreign languages -- seems quaint and, well, small. But for me they're all exercises in finding nuances in each idea.

Oh, and buried up above is the latest seasonal blend. It's filled with jams produced this year. Dig it. I'm working on another blend of music I'm actually listening to this summer, as opposed to stuff from this year. I.e., I tend to listen to older music.

summer 2011

+DRAWING+MODEL+MUSIC+BEER+: Forgotten Firsts

2011-05-19T22:25:00.001-04:00

Forgotten Firsts playlist

It's a good feeling. When you have something that you know people will like. You show up, you share it and from the jump you know, "Yeah, this is working." It's a good feeling.

The conceit was pretty simple. Even familiar. I told my new boss about it as I was leaving work that day and he told me how he had made a similar mix for his brother. Hell, he reminded me of "Tainted Love."

But hearing those familiar lyrics, melodic turns and rhythms in the hands of the originator forces you to take stock of what you know about a song. Sure, "Tainted Love" still clips along at a brisk pace. But the drums are rougher; the song swings harder. A female takes the lead ~ how do the sexual dynamics feel now? Horns, guitar and voices carry the melody, not a synth. The heat is palpable. I don't care which is better ~ I want to listen to how each version brings out a new nuance to the song.

Next week, we'll head the other direction and visit covers of songs by artists from different countries or in different languages. Trust me: you don't need to know a foreign language to appreciate a lesbian punk-cumbia band's take on Black Sabbath's "Iron Man." Join us on Wednesday, May 25; hit the Fbook page for more details...

Spring Again

2011-05-06T06:00:00.002-04:00

My new business

spring 2011

You may have heard I've been busy. Great to get some bills, but I've had to re-think how I organize my time.

Yes, these are the mundane machinations behind juggling work. Fascination street, right?

The latest seasonal blend is a peculiar one. Go ahead, compare with 2010. Sure, it opens with a sunny blast: Rapha, Frankie and this year's preppy response to Vampire Weekend. But the beats slow down. Sounds become sharp and harsh. You can feel the anxiety lurking deep in the swamp. Maybe that's why we open with a reaching reading of a recent post-adolescent's taut relationship blooz: it's a warning beacon.

The line from stutter step hyphy-dub to 1 non-blonde pop to enya/cloud/ol'/g rap is solid and clear. At least to me. Hopefully you'll hear it, too?

Side 1 closes with the most lucid Smog I've heard in a minute. Yes, it fades on the same line NYT drooled over. Poof, and the song is gone.

Side 2 is meant to pick up the pace, like San Antonio. I'm less into the music than the ol' rappers and young lions' ability to link sound and vision.

The rest are filled with quick thrills. The Aussies sound familiar. And 2001 found some drums c. 1981 (don't worry, it hasn't actually been 10 years when you go 20 back).

The closer provides hope. Quasi-cloud crooning makes the heart go pitter-patter, so the Canadian makes the beat go clippity-clop.

Wasn't 2010 supposed to be the year of the druthers? Why all the dark choonage so far? Maybe 2011 will turn that frown around come summer? Wouldn't hold your breath:

Liner Notes v.3 Blahcast

2011-05-02T21:42:00.000-04:00

Found these in a box. And, yes, that's Cats & Ozzy

Liner Notes v.3

Coming home from +DRAWING+MODEL+MUSIC+BEER+ last night I got the news. I pulled into a bar to watch the telecast. Felt helpful to experience the moment of surprise and shock with others -- in addition to the discomfort of being around misplaced enthusiasm.

I woke up today listening to my usual line-up of Monday morning podcasts: WTF, MMPC, the Bugle. Most aren't necessarily political, but I still inexplicably wanted them to speak to the recent turn of events. Of course, all were recorded prior to Sunday night. Not sure what I would have expected anyway.

I feel sheepish talking about the pod/blahcast. But I'll get over it.

I finally gave it a name: "Liner Notes." And, like my blahg, I'm calling it a blahcast. I'm still talking about chunes that I'm digging. And I aim to whittle down the playlist so I can get more in-depth about a small handful of songs. But I had a backlog of material from the entire month of April, so I burned through tracks on this one. There's some +DRAWING+-related material from the "Hi Lo Hi" night. There's also some wordy rappinghood courtesy of Monch and Gab. And there was even time for Paul McCartney's ukulele jam "Ram On."

Listen in: it's a new day, same as yesterday.

+DRAWING+MODEL+MUSIC+BEER+: Let's Ride & Hi Lo Hi

2011-04-24T22:21:00.001-04:00

Let's Ride playlist

Hi Lo Hi playlist

It's strangely appropriate that these last two set-lists are going up late. Our model at the "Let's Ride" session was struck by some hefty coughing fits, which forced us to flip around some poses times. And the model for our "Hi Lo Hi" session was a no-show, so Nate modeled instead! All kinds of calamity, I know.

However, both turned out exceptionally well. I might say these were two of the most interesting sessions. The post-drawing socializing and sharing at the "Let's Ride" session was quite intense. People shared a wide range of ideas on how to capture the model, including a broad use of color, lines, minimalism and maximalism. And maybe it was the fact that everyone is flippin' nice and helped the model with cups of water and the such, the group bond felt tight.

Oh, and the music was fun. I always like music for or about cruising. Perhaps it's an Angeleno thing. Then again the other day I was on the prowl for a guayabera at Nick & Son in the LES the other day listening to the low rider soul and realizing how much more I love these straight-forward ballads. Call me middle-aged and soft inside.

The "Hi Lo Hi" session was remarkable as it featured the debut of Nate on the modeling platform. While neither he nor I were happy with the model's no-show, everyone was really treated b/c Nate did a phenomenal job. He hit all the qualities we look for in our models: the ability to hold dynamic poses, as well as focus attention on details one would not have otherwise noticed. And, yes, he kept his clothes on.

Fittingly he also gets credit for coming up with the music theme. A few months ago over burgers and sheeps milk, he shared his fascination with singers who use falsetto and singers with low voices. I actually don't remember who he had in mind, but I'm sure he wasn't thinking of Tiny Tim dueting with himself on "I Got You Babe" or Asakawa Maki's reaching down to belt "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child." Another reason why I love our collaboration: we constantly feed each other ideas that spin out in fresh, unexpected ways. Patting ourselves on the back here...

One word of business: we'll be back with another session soon, but will likely take some time off in May to do some fine-tuning. We're looking for a new space and doing some "back-end" work, but we'll be coming back with some even more awesome sauce for y'all.

Can't wait to see y'all with your drawing boards.

Sakhiya Aaj Mujhe Neend Nahi Aayegi

2011-03-08T11:38:00.022-05:00

Got Uttar & Dakshina?
(Credit: Alana Lowe)

ABCD's of Cooking x Brooklyn Winery playlist

This past Sunday the good homie ABCD's of Cooking teamed with Brooklyn Winery to present an exclusive supper club pairing North/South Indian cooking with hand-selected wines. Whoa, sensory explosion, right? Got your bearings back? Dig this: ABCD's was gracious enough to let me provide the soundtrack, so a partial playlist is posted above.

I only posted a chunk because the whole set is over 3 hours long (for those interested, the whole list is reprinted below). Instead, I focused on the Hindi film tracks ("filmi") because the Indian influence was what set the evening's set apart from the more familiar (to Western ears, at least) fare.

The featured filmi portions were less familiar, in every sense. Collections like Bombay Connection, the exhaustive Sitar Beat series and Stones Throw's recent Sa-Re-Ga! have turned '70s funk and disco-inspired Indian soundtracks into a thriving, contemporary sub-genre. While that era's excess and melodrama is undoubtedly charming, it often overshadows the broad range of soundtracks from the generations prior.

I won't go into the history and specifics, b/c I'm out of my league. That said, I've come across some lovely soundtracks from the '40s, '50s and '60s, particularly the stately Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (full credit goes to the excellent Parties, Sarees and Melodies blog for sharing the enthusiasm) and the brooding Charulata. Both soundtracks date to the early '60s and show a remarkable range of emotion and instrumentation. The former feels lush and velvety, like an upper crust pillow used for some specific aesthetic purpose -- looks soft, but not meant to be touched. Appropriate, considering the film centers on a "drunken rich house wife." The Old World translations of the song titles also support this idea: "Though released is your hand, do not leave me, love;" or, the post title, "Thou dispenser of wine, tonight sleep will forsake me." Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam also features another playback singer I am now enamored with, Geeta Dutt.

Charulata is a stark contrast, in terms of the film's tone and its accompanying soundtrack. The title was translated to "The Lonely Wife" (when it comes to the subject matter, use your imagination). The music is spare, austere and often tense to match the film's subject matter. Strangely, it is also perfect for personal listening, particularly while at home tending to domestic affairs.

When ABCD's asked me to put together a calm soundscape including this era of filmi music, I jumped at the opportunity. I have been fiending for more Indian film music since the trip, so I had already been looking further back in time. This event was a perfect opportunity to share some of those finds.

Before the dinner, I previewed some of the music with ABCD's and she recognized a few tracks from her family's collection (coincidentally, the aforementioned soundtracks; Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam was an Oscar contender, so I shouldn't be surprised), so I'm happy there was also a personal connection. Otherwise, I'm always happy to find more music to further broaden the palette.

Bill Evans Trio: Waltz For Debby (Take 1)
Art Tatum: All The Things You Are
Wes Montgomery & Winton Kelly Trio: Misty
The Beatnuts: Hass (a.k.a. We Came Here)
Air: Casanova 70
Serge Gainsbourg: Ballade de Melody Nelson
Archie Shepp: In A Sentimental Mood
Chet Baker: These Foolish Things
Bernard Herrmann: Twisted Nerve [Jazz Version]
Satyajit Ray: Montage (Charulata)
Suraiya & Umadevi: Betab Hai Dil (Dard)
Satyajit Ray: Jalsagar excerpt
Satyajit Ray: Charu's Theme (Charulata)
Satyajit Ray: Bhupatis Grief (Charulata)
Satyajit Ray: Bhupati and Amal (Charulata)
Satyajit Ray: Jalsagar excerpt
Asha Bhosle: Teer Yeh Chup Ke (Phagun)
Umadevi: Yeh Kaun Chala (Dard)
Lata Mangeshkar & Mukesh: Dam Bhar Jo Udhar Munh Phere (Awara)
Asha Bhosle & Mohd. Rafi: Tum Rooth Ke Mat Jana (Phagun)
Satyajit Ray: Jalsagar excerpt
Asha Bhosle & Mohd. Rafi: Main Soya Aankhiyan Meeche (Phagun)
Geeta Dutt: Na Jao Saiyan Chhod Ke Baiyan (Though released is your hand, do not leave me, love) (Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam)
Asha Bhosle: Bhanwara Bada Nadan (Oh! How ignorant is the wasp!) (Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam)
Talat Mahmood: Meri Yaad Men Tum Na Aansoo Bahana (Adhosh)
Asha Bhosle and Chorus: Sakhiya Aaj Mujhe Neend Nahi Aayegi (Thou dispenser of wine, tonight sleep will forsake me) (Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam)
Satyajit Ray: Title Music (Teen Kanya)
Shankar Jaikishan: More Incidental Music (Instrumental) (Bombay Talkie)
Thelonious Monk: Black and Tan Fantasy
Miles Davis: Bye Bye Blackbird
Cannonball Adderley and John Coltrane: Stars Fell On Alabama
Bill Withers: I Don't Know
Jimmy Smith & Wes Montgomery: OGD (Road Song)
Amy Winehouse: (There Is) No Greater Love
Oscar Peterson: Love For Sale
Billie Holiday: Comes Love
The Horace Silver Quintet: Que Pasa
Milt Buckner: The Beast
Angelo Badalamenti: Freshly Squeezed
Sven Libaek: Inner Space Theme
Common Sense: In My Own World (Check the Method)
Air: J'ai Dormi Sous L'eau
Aphex Twin: Avril 14th
Aphex Twin: Nanou 2
The Dave Brubeck Quartet: Thank You (Dziekuje)
The Roots: Donuts (Outro)

In addition to ABCD's and BK Winery, big hands to Alana, Paul and Ben for all their help. Alana and Paul also documented the evening, so more visual pron (like the above flick) to come [UPDATE: ABCD's of Cooking's post has more details on the dinner, as well as Alana's photos -- check it out here]. And a special shout-out to the internet and follow-up protocol for allowing me to return the visual element of these compositions -- you can't just hear these tunes, you need to see 'em.

I'm Active

2011-03-04T07:00:00.008-05:00

Feelin' SWAG

March 2011: Side A

I love pawdcasting. Spin tracks. Chat onna mic. Spin more tracks. Praise. I love it. A much-needed break from studying.

Still a few technical glitches. Unfortunately, my mixer can't push the mic volume higher. And I recorded this while Thee B was sleeping (or at least trying to), so I couldn't go Fisticuffs up in the crib. That probably resulted in some self-consciousness and sounding scattered, but no matter. This is too much fun!

Drop a few lines, let me know what you think. And, as promised, a link dump!

* 1972 Kinks documentary (via Dangerous Minds)

* Uh, that Ponytail jawn was "Easy Peasy."

* Thee Mike B's Heaven 17 post.

+DRAWING+MODEL+MUSIC+BEER+: Prezbo Knows

2011-02-21T17:39:00.001-05:00

Prezbo Knows playlist

Last night's +DRAWING+MODEL+MUSIC+BEER+ session paid tribute to the holiday weekend by drawlring to songs for, against and (arguably) by presidents. No, we didn't listen to Bill honk.

I made lots of 11th hour changes to this setlist. I thought this would be a cakewalk -- play some trashy campaign songs, no problem -- but it sounded, well, trashy. Came home on Saturday after a long day of waiting and waiting and finally seeing the Christian Marclay video "The Clock" (totally worth it) and realized what changes needed to be made.

The songs were grouped into:

* 30-sec poses: Animaniacs (introduce the theme with a list!)
* 1-min: Campaign songs (past generations)
* 2-min: Funky songs about presidents
* 5-min: "Letter songs" to presidents
* 10-min: Disillusionment and perverse interpretations of "president"
* 20-min: a) JFK; b) songs released on or immediately after Obama's election; and c) Campaign songs (our generation)

Once again, good vibes all around. Lots of interesting poses and everyone took the ideas and ran with 'em. And plenty of patriotism, criticism and everything in-between.

A few housekeeping items: not all the tracks played are on YouTube. E.g., the version of "Abraham, Martin & John" spun was from a Bob Dylan concert in the early '80s, not the Marvin Gaye version in the playlist. Other "loosies" not included in the playlist include:

* Janelle Monae "Mr. President"

* Mort Sahl "Eisenhower, Nixon & Brubeck" From his The Future Lies Ahead LP (as influential a comic as he is, most of his critical output remains sadly out-of-print, but you can often find his albums in the dollar bin)

* Elvis Costello "Less Than Zero" The version spun was from his Live at El Mocambo concert. Apparently the song's "Mr. Oswald" was mistakenly interpreted as being LHO upon initial release, when that was not the case. At this concert, Costello flipped the third verse to talk about Lee Harvey Oswald.

* DJ Trident "miamiobama" By the good homie.

Oh, and the song "by" a president? Sinatra famously re-did "High Hopes" for Kennedy's 1960 campaign. A 7-inch record of the song was released, but credited not to Sinatra, but one "Jack Kennedy."

Next session will return to a Wednesday on March 9. Visit our new Facebook page for more information. And holler to get on the list, so you get the reminder...

Ride My Pony

2011-02-18T00:01:00.015-05:00

not your ordinary podcast

liners: febrA 2011

It's been roughly 10 years since I've done radio. There have been a few rewinds -- those sessions for East Village Radio in its early days, and the behind-the-scenes work for WNYC -- but I've been absent behind the mic for a while.

Man, I have missed it.

There's talk talk on the second edition of the still unnamed sound journal/podcast thing. Oh, technology! In case you don't remember, it's a biweekly digest of chunes on rotation in these parts -- this time, songs from the first half of February. Don't worry: no Valentines schmaltz. It feels more natural to chat a little, listen a little, then move on. Still a bit longer than expected (25 minutes), but enough for a short commute, right?

Please, send comments, questions, etc. I want to hear your thoughts on what you like, don't like, suggestions for a title... I know, the vocals are way Too Low. I pinky promise to get it right next time, aight?

And for the record: Animal Collective's "My Girls." And The World of Arthur Russell on Soul Jazz.

+DRAWING+MODEL+MUSIC+BEER+: Egypt, Egypt

2011-02-10T14:53:00.001-05:00

Egypt, Egypt setlist

Ok, jheri curls were the source of last night's session's title. That said, looking in from the outside, Egypt (and Tunisia and Yemen) currently represents the aspirations of democracy. Hence, the songs of revolution, overthrowing slavery and independence.

Much of the feedback last night was about the music's affect. Then again, it's hard not to listen to Otis Redding without a concern. Baby Huey was a highlight. Even though the rap in the last part of the song sounds dated, especially with the talk of drive-ins and grass, but his halting screeches are showstopping. So glad to find a forum for him, aside from a mixtape of hip-hop breaks (his song "Hard Times" has been sampled numerous times).

Similarly much of Fela's mid-tempo work lends itself to longer poses. There are plenty of other Fela songs I prefer over "Army Arrangement," but the lyrics of government corruption made it a better fit. Too bad the record was finished while Fela was serving a prison sentence. Bill Laswell was tapped to mix the final product so he brought in Bernie Worrell on keys and Sly Dunbar on drums. Which explains why there's a distinctly soft, '80s touch to the record. Evidently, Fela wasn't happy.

Not sure what direction we'll head in for the next session, but we will experiment with a different day: Sunday, Feb. 20, time tbd. We'll also be starting a Facebook page shortly to help spread the word.

Be A Good Sport

2011-02-04T07:37:00.003-05:00

For a couple weeks in January this is what I was digging.

I go batty writing all day, so I'm starting a biweekly(-ish) mix series. I'm listening to new music all the time, but the ones that stick in my craw often come up through research. Plus, figured this would be a way to journal what I'm actually liking over the course of the year -- something that never really comes across whenever it comes time to do year-end lists, which usually focuses on new music only.

No guarantees or structures. Sometimes it will be a buncha tunes. Sometimes it will be one tune. I'll try to do this every two weeks or so. Keep the work manageable for me and the blends digestible for y'all.

The first one comes with liner notes, which can also be found in the "Lyrics" field. iPhone users should be able to see this automatically.

Anyway, let me know what you think!

Floyd Cramer "On the Rebound"
* I stopped seeing a lot of films in the theaters, thinking I'll wait 'til the disc hits the public library shelves. It's like a socialist new music Tuesday. I kid. Glad I waited for "An Education." Hey, there's the wedding crasher! Liked Carey Mulligan, but the story is a bit light. Then again the film kicks off with this country-soul instrumental. What more can I say?

Hosono Haruomi "Sportsmen" & YMO "Rap Phenomena"
* I am really kicking myself for not picking up all those YMO LPs back in the day. Can't have it all, right? The country version of "Sports Men" above is pretty bizarre.

Burial "Raver" & Kode9 "9 Samurai"
* Preparing for an interview with producer Kode9, I checked out his Hyperdub label's catalog. As usual, I'm behind the times and hadn't known about Mercury Prize-winning artist Burial and the whole mystery behind his identity. All of which is less interesting than this intensely moody and weird music. I really liked Kode9's 2009 single "Black Sun." Weird, bending synths and skittering beats. These two tracks put it in context.

Killer Mike "Burn"
* Hearty raps over peak-tweaking Funkadelic breaks. I loved Funkadelic when I was in high school, though most of it went over my head. Lovely to be able to revisit it.

Nigel Godrich "Bass Battle"
* More library action. Wish I saw Scott Pilgrim in a theater, though. Love this "battle" b/c it sounded like it was fun to record. Really into Scott's Bad Brains-ish lick.

Japandroids "1297 Heavenward Grand Prix"
* The Mountain got into this group, so I had to give in. Noisy, poppy, good beats.

Daedelus "Femme Fatale"
* Disco askew. Eghk.

PJ Harvey "The Words that Maketh Murder"
* Patti Smith hearts this. Now it's hard for me to tell if I like this song b/c it makes me want to dance in my kitchen, or if I like this b/c it makes me think of Patti Smith dancing in her kitchen.

+DRAWING+MODEL+MUSIC+BEER+: Wes Anderson

2011-02-02T13:29:00.003-05:00

Here's the setlist through Wes Anderson's eyes.

Here's the setlist through the artists' (and others') eyes.

Before we get into last week's "Wes Anderson" session, thank you all for coming during one narsty blizzard! That was amazing. You are amazing. Snow is amazing. Couldn't bring myself to take photos of it b/c I just wanted to stare at it. Well, I suppose we all had a chance to do that on our respective walks/drives/rides home. I opted to walk. Guys were walking up and down 4th Ave shoveling cars out.

***

What's the saying? "MTV doesn't play music anymore." It's one of those things stodgy thirtysomethings like me are supposed to gripe about, right?

Truth is MTV plays plenty of music. Just not in the familiar format of music videos. Instead the network delivers the music in a current way -- like every other media outlet. Music is the driver in commercials. It sets the tone of Ameri-novellas. It's the aural bumper that moves us from one channel, one program, one mood, one item of interest to the next. In fact, music is too present to the point that it mirrors the ADD of pop culture. Here one momen...

Which is perhaps why I like Wes Anderson's films. He's as obsessive as the rest of us, consuming culture left and right. His films are often jam-packed with familiar and obscure nuggets (and Nuggets). Yet he takes his time. Shots are framed carefully, dialogue is delivered deliberately, music is woven carefully and everything feels contained. His films are like a less non sequitor version of a Mr. Show episode: vignettes flowing together in harmony. Moments like the revenge montage in Rushmore are meant to be remembered alongside the epic ending of the Who's "A Quick One" (which I just realized is noticeably pitched up in the film). Even more subtle moments like Max's midnight romancing of Rosemary involve an inseparable union between image, narrative and sound -- though Max's Yves Montaud tape may be a bit much.

Such containment means his films are often accused of being emotionally stilted. That's the big complaint, right? Then there's the "Needle in the Hay" scene in Royal Tenenbaums, which remains a particularly distressing moment -- perhaps most so when the music swells then suddenly clips out as Dudley walks in on Richie. The entire scene is a composition unto itself, something that makes the music and the visual so much better together.

Anderson more than earns his spot at a drawing session. While few of his scenes really conjure a particular physical expression so much as a feeling or a narrative, he consistently picks dynamic music and edits them in an efficient way.

I broke up the sets in terms of music themes he returns to: aggressive (Ramones, Stooges, garage rock), French pop/waltzes, classic Hindi film music and the Stones (who have appeared in all of his major films). The longer poses were just bits and bobs from selected films: Royal Tenenbaums, Darjeeling Limited and Rushmore.

***

Nate and I talked about doing fantasies or dreams as a theme for the next one, which should be this time next week. Will keep you posted. Oh, you're not being kept posted? Holler at me to be added to the list.

+DRAWING+MODEL+MUSIC+BEER+: First Impressions

2011-01-24T10:44:00.000-05:00

First Impressions playlist.

I've oscillated between two ways of programming the drawing sessions: head and ears. The first is more knowledge-based and often requires research. The second is more intuitive, yet also involves occasional research (see Diddley Beat... uh, wait, I never posted that playlist, huh?). The fun part is seeing the overlap between the two. For example, hearing a theme can spur questions to seek more information. Admittedly, the heady themes so far have been hard to hear.

First Impressions dealt with first songs on a band or artist's debut album -- the literal first thing a listener might have heard. The idea is held together by a few assumptions: that the debut single is also the first track heard on an album; and that a listener is hearing an artist when he/she first "comes out." It's also a dated concept. We are back in a singles era when albums come months, if not years after an artist has circulated in the press via appearances at awards show, celebrity events, mixtapes, some other celebrity's hit song, social media, etc.

I took to the idea b/c, real or not, there was a romance in reading into the mythology. The anticipation of waiting for that record. The excitement from laying down that slab of vinyl or plopping in that cassette. The sounds of the machine springing to life before the music wrapped you in its embrace. The record could be a jarring middle finger (Black Flag's "Nervous Breakdown," PE's "You're Gonna Get Yours") or engrossing (Leo Kottke's "The Driving of the Year Nail," Jackson Frank's "Blues Run The Game"), but the build-up and response is similar. I like this commonality of experience between different music listeners.

This week we're back to familiar ground: Wes Anderson. Is that both bookish and sonically familiar?

2010 On My List

2010-12-31T13:28:00.000-05:00

First, the biz:

I'm spinning tonight (NYE) at:
Draft Bar
157 Ludlow St (LES)
10pm, $5 (includes a glass o' bubbly)
Link for more info here

I'm not such a fan of making year-end lists as they're usually prone to faulty reasoning (are you really going to judge something released 11 months ago the same way something from last week?). But I like the end results as they're a quick, easy way to share ideas, so here are a handful: best albums, songs and videos.

You can find my top 15 albums over at Prefix (scroll down, the lists are alpha by writer's surname). A few factors skewed my list: 1) we had to have 15; 2) we were limited to 1 reissue; and 3) I excluded (Hold Steady) or dropped (Kanye) the ranking of certain albums b/c I figured other writers would rank those same choices higher. So, here's a more representative list:

Top Albums
Laura Marling I Speak Because I Can (Astralwerks)
LCD Soundsystem This Is Happening (DFA)
Flying Lotus Cosmogramme (Warp)
Brad Laner Natural Selections (Hometapes)
Das Racist Shut Up, Dude Mixtape (self-released)
Brian Eno Small Craft on a Milk Sea (Warp)
Dirty Projectors and Bjork Mount Wittenberg Orca (self-released)
She and Him Volume 2 (Merge)
DaVinci Day the Turf Stood Still (self-released)
Walter Gibbons Jungle Music (Strut)
The Method Actors This is Still It? (Acute)

Top 10 Songs
My song choices are laughably light. I suppose this has more to do with how I divide my music between personal listening and mass consumption (i.e. DJ sets or blends). But this is what I can remember liking:

Sleigh Bells "Tell 'Em"
Admittedly this got old after a month (wow! it's loud!) and the linked clip summarizes the band's entire live set, but I still thoroughly enjoy the heroic quality of the main guitar riff. I usually equate Superman entrance cues with horns or orchestral swells, but Derek Miller took a choice page from the Angus Young/Jimmy Page comp book.

She and Him "In The Sun"
Abnorml said he put this on repeat when it came up in the spring 2010 blend. I think that about sums it up.

Yeasayer "O.N.E."
I recently realized that I used to play gigs with the Fool's Gold guitarist back when he was in the Americanas. So cool that he's continuing to do such interesting music now. This Yeasayer joint reminds me of the Afro Pop that FG references. Very fun video, too.

Marcus Price and Carli "Mat Bira Kvinnor Weed"
There's something perverse about the voice modulation. And then offset by the "Keeps my fire burning" lick. Very odd. Another funny video.

Katy B "Katy on a Mission"
She reminds me of that singer that Ronny Fazer produced/slept with in Skins. And this song is lighter than powder, but everyone lost their shit to its bass on my bachelor night. Those are the cards sometimes, right?

Hold Steady "The Weekenders"
Thirtysomething struggles are way better than twentysomething angst.

Gyptian "Hold Yuh"
Neat trick: right-hand piano lick, snare hits and a looping lyric. Linked to the remix w/ the Nicki verse as it adds some needed spice.

Gucci Mane "It's Gucci Time"
Swizz Beatz updates "Touch It" by moving down the block from Daft Punk to Justice.

Eminem "Won't Back Down"
I forget that I saw him pre-Aftermath deal when he was a bespectacled freestyler performing for a befuddled Bay Area crowd. Even then he was hungry. Over ten years later he actually looks hungrier now. Anyone know who is the gray-haired keyboardist at stage left?

Wyatt, Atzmon and Stephen "Laura"
Compendium to Charlie Parker with Strings.

Top Videos
I actually don't spend a lot of time watching videos as I barely have enough time to listen to music, read, etc. So this is probably better described as a list of videos I actually watched from start-to-finish.

BIG BOI "SHUTTERBUG" from BEMO | Brandon Hirzel on Vimeo.

Big Boi "Shutterbug"

What's not to love? Ok, the Tron promo is a bit much, but keep in mind this came out months before the film's marketing blitz started. Anyway, back to the pros: Puppet versions of the band -- playing talk box, no less (1:15); and inexplicably surreal bits, including shoe-mountain-climbing (1:09), a mouth of rhyme pages (1:52) and a Rothko-esque (or is it Warhol?) wall of red plastic cups (1:34). Nice to see a slight inversion on the live performance video.

Grum - Through The Night from The General Assembly on Vimeo.

Grum "Through The Night"

'80s parodies, buddy/cop action and ironic homoeroticism are all pretty well-trodden fare. But Dangerous Minds hit the nail on the head by captioning this "Gay Glock Rockin' Cops and New Wave Dance Beats..."

Kanye West "Power"

I watched the premier with my in-laws. Mind you, I think we were in between episodes of Jersey Shore or some house-flipping show. I don't think this changed anyone's opinion of Kanye.

Rusko "Feels So Real (Douster & Savage Skulls Jersey Shore Remix)"

Speaking of Jersey Shore, the show and every stereotype of Italian-American culture that it manages to not just perpetuate but somehow magnify have all become a convenient punchline. That said, how many of you dance with this kind of abandon and lack of self-consciousness?

Dam Funk "Things That Dreams Are Made Of"

I loved Major Lazer's "Keep It Goin' Louder" video and Dam Funk came through with an improvement. And a great reminder of an awesome Human League record.

Hot Chip, Bernard Sumner, and Hot City “I Didn’t Know What Love Was”

It's not that I really like this video as much as I was reminded how much I would like to see new Michel Gondry work. That said, I'm pretty sure Green Hornet will not be like this.

Blaqstarr "Pressure"

More creepiness. The use of CCTV visuals in mass media has probably desensitized us to how it is actually used on an everyday basis. Blaqstarr brings us back to reality by adding some psychedelic effects and focusing on an intimate moment.

Daft Punk "Derezzed"

Got super excited by this clip. For the song and the film. Thankfully, I didn't see the full-length video 'til now. The original Tron low-bit effects are neat, but a bit one-note. But I'll take either over the disappointing fight sequence in the actual film.

Mark Ronson & the Business Int'l "Somebody to Love Me" (Feat. Boy George)

YT comments are always hilarious: "Is that Diane Kruger as Boy George?"

Cassius, I Love you so from WE ARE FROM L.A on Vimeo.

Cassius "I Love You So"

A summation of hip-pop culture: synths, sped-up vocals, iPhones, apps, beautiful people using iPhone apps, vague references to cross-culturalism (black female lips over white male?), and, of course, shameless self promotion.

Rita Indiana y Sus Misterios "La Hora de Volver"

Technically from 2009, I believe, but caught this on Generation Bass a month back. It's a better version of M.I.A. and Major Lazer's Y2K-era throwbacks. Why is Rita better? The Klaus Nomi look.

Thanks again for all the love and support. See you on the other side of tonight!

Movin' On Up

2010-12-28T15:53:00.000-05:00

Sintalentos.com is up! Super high fives to dirtystylus for gifting me with this beautiful site. Please check it out, tell your friends, send me feedback...

I'll continue to post here, as well as on F-book and Twitter, but the site will be the one-stop shopping hub for all your, uh, me needs.

+DRAWING+MODEL+MUSIC+BEER+: White Xmas

2010-12-21T11:20:00.001-05:00

Drawing by I. Moros

White Xmas setlist

The funny thing about looking through a music library, no matter how broad, is the inevitability of finding a familiar ethnic, gender, sexual orientation, etc. breakdown. In other words, it's a majority white man's, man's, man's world in both the real and in our lp/cd/tape/mp3/cloud collections. Call me a product of the affirmative action age, but I often make it a point in my sets to find room for other voices. If anything, it's a great realization finding the voices I am not including and figuring out how to include them. Or finding other ways to flip my ideas of what a certain voice sounds like.

So, why a white Christmas? Sure, we hear plenty of the lily-white this time of year. But there are plenty of white folks that have played to other crowds and with the sounds of the other. The line between appropriation and appreciation is actually pretty distinct to me, so I figured why not pay tribute to those that pay tribute?

That said, I have to give much respect to the godparents of this line of thinking: Bambaataa, Kool Herc, Hollywood, Frankie Crocker, et. al. The idea of crossing lines to find the right beat is an old one, indeed. And a lot of these beats are classics: Rare Earth, "Black Betty," "Take Me to the Mardi Gras..." Admittedly the set just wrote itself.

I didn't think the music would have much to do with the drawing besides playing the role of the bleachers, but, man, Ms. Moros came through with a mind-bender for me. For the record, it was not the Beasties, but a Beck (by way of the Dust Brothers, who also worked with the Beasties) beat. But I love her use of text alongside the images. Maybe there's another idea: lyrics to match poses?

P.S. Peep game to screen right: Tony Rico and I are DJ'g NYE at Draft Bar in the LES. Be there. Holler at me via F-book for more deets.

P.P.S.

sintalentos - winter 2010

+DRAWING+MODEL+MUSIC+BEER+: British Invasion

2010-12-02T23:48:00.001-05:00

View from the "booth" (of Sarah K & her work)

British Invasion playlist

Colonized v. UK playlist

George Williams Aingo "Akuko Nu Bonto" from the comp Living Is Hard: West African Music In Britain, 1927-1929
Fela Sowande "Akinla" from African Suite
Fela Kuti "Buy Africa" from London Scene

break

UK Sitar Takeover playlist

Covers of the Beatles playlist

UK v. Colonized playlist

Small hands, small hands all around for another great session last night. Special claps to Chit of ABCDs of Cooking for catering. She made us persimmon salsa (the fruit came from California!) and tzatziki with Indian spices (i.e., subtly spicy) which were promptly devoured. If you don't know about her American-Desi fusions, get the knowledge here.

Very much a coincidence, but the music theme mirrored the food: West meets East... and other points colonized. "British Invasion" was less about the Beatles, Stones, etc. crossing the pond and going all D-Day on the Billboard charts, but more about the interaction of English music culture with that of the Queen's subjects. Not to make light of or justify colonization, but there is a strangely fluid exchange of music ideas between colonizer and colonized.

Personally, I felt I kept the range narrow: UK v. India, UK v. Nigeria and UK v. U.S.A. (rhythm & blues, soul and hip-hop). But Keith mentioned that the music was probably my broadest stretch to date: from Lily Allen 50 Cent satires to mid-century Nigerian art music.

Even though the connections were pretty familiar (isn't the sitar in rock a joke?), the research process turned up goodies again. The extent of Chuck Berry material covered by the Beatles and the Stones was a bit surprising. I came to those Bombay Talkie cuts via the Darjeeling Limited soundtrack, but it also turned up a convenient connection to the former British overlords by being a Bollywood-style film produced by the famed Merchant-Ivory team. Should I be surprised that this (and Satyajit Ray) was the style of Indian film music that Wes Anderson would reference? Anyway, my favorite connections were by far the Nigerian/West African ones (sorry, couldn't find the tracks on YT, but the tracks are listed above). I couldn't make out the highlife influences in the George Williams Aingo track and African Suite until a few days ago. Proof of how the highlife rhythm is still not ingrained in my conscience, even after all these years. But how wonderful to hear that rhythm in two very different contexts.

Thanks again to y'all for coming through. Next session will happen in two weeks (12/16?), likely on a Thursday instead of a Wednesday. Stay glued to the f-book or this site for more deets.

PS: Don't get it twisted, this was not the first time we had food. Dr. D has been hooking us up since Day 1 and she once again came through with sweet cake to wash it all down. Lovin' it!

Sweater Songs

2010-11-22T08:35:00.000-05:00

Yoshitomo Nara's White Ghost, 70th St & Park Ave

fall 2010, side a

fall 2010, side b

Happy Monday: it's the pre-Black Friday jump-off.

+DRAWING+MODEL+MUSIC+BEER+: Cowbells, 12-String Guitars, Vocoders (kinda)

2010-11-19T13:59:00.000-05:00

Drawing by Dr. D.

Cowbells.

12-string guitars.

Vocoders.

And, technically, Talk Boxes, too.

Y'all sweet ~ we had our largest turnout to date last night. And, once again, y'all were game. The theme was admittedly formal. But, like most of the themes to date, a great excuse for me to dig into ideas I haven't had the motivation to research on my own. So, selfishly, I thank you for indulging me.

The idea to pick specific instruments came from the sense of texture apparent in the previous session's Eno soundtrack. A lot of those works were less about songs and more about moods or atmospheres. Nice way to reflect or refract a group's energy.

There are a handful of producers or musicians that I want to explore in a similar manner: Daniel Lanois, RZA. We'll return to that approach in the future, but for last night's session I thought I'd try instruments or production techniques that create a certain atmosphere. Sound a little abstract? Think of the wah-wah pedal. Does this come to mind? Naturally, the guitar effect pops up in countless derivations of sleazy, porntastic funk. Helpful for creating a lighthearted mood or to break tension -- a "moment of levity," as they may say. It's also been used in a variety of ways, from ballsy, bombastic rock to gentle, psychedelic flourishes. Well, there's another possible theme for a future session...

Anyway, I focused on these three instruments/technologies because they afforded a range of moods. I've been joking with Nate about doing a cowbell theme for a while. Pretty fascinating to hear such a prominent percussion piece being used as everything from a literal metronome to an accent within a drum solo. And mostly during a certain period from the late '60s to the mid-70s. For anyone that complains about dance music and its incessant 4/4 beat, how is the cowbell in "We're An American Band" any better or worse? In seriousness, peep the playlist above as there were a bunch of jams I didn't get to. Dig the o.g. version of the Bad Brains' "Pay To Cum" -- completely forgot about the insane cowbell part on the verse!

I have been thinking about the 12-string guitar of late, because I've seen it cropping up in a variety of other bands: Led Zeppelin, R.E.M., Tim Buckley. I didn't know much about it aside that Roger McGuinn rocked one and used it to get that shimmery tone on all those classic Byrds records. Was very pleased to learn that that same jangle could by a variety of artists ranging from some bright Beatles sides penned by George Harrison and even the Cure and the Smiths. Was especially surprised about the latter two groups because I attribute a lot of their sound to guitar effects. Nice to also think about the impact of which instruments they used on which records. By the way, Smiths fans will geek on this post breaking down the various guitars that Johnny Marr used.

Last up is the Vocoder. Won't say much about this b/c I'm not done with Dave Tompkins' excellent tome on the technology. In summary, it's the device that transforms your voice into that quintessential late '70s/early '80s robot sound that we all associate with Electric Boogaloo 2 and JCVD actin' a fool to Ollie & Jerry on Venice Beach. It's fun, it's silly... and it's such a literal representation of what we once thought was the future. What a pure form of expression.

PS: I really wanted to play some Zapp, which is why I pulled out some talk box cuts. A talk box is that tube that guitarists and keyboardists stick in their mouth and allows them to play/sing in a way that sounds like a Peanuts gang adult. And Roger Troutman was a stone genius. WHAT.

The net result? There were a lot of familiar cuts last night. Maybe that's why Nate and I felt everything go so quickly? The mood was pretty light and energetic throughout. And, again, everyone was sociable. But what did you guys think? Do you prefer the music to be more present or more in the background?

Looking forward to seeing you again in 2 weeks on Dec 1.

+DRAWING+MODEL+MUSIC+BEER+: Eno

2010-11-04T10:33:00.000-04:00

Eno playlist

Thanks again to everyone that came out last night. Brian Eno served as our literal muse. Meaning: songs by or produced or co-written by him. I'm not terribly versed in Eno -- Geeta's tome is still on my to-read list and, well, I simply don't know much about dude -- and the initial idea for picking him was because he released a record Small Craft on a Milk Sea earlier this week; it's actually streaming in its entirety at his site, at least for the time being.

Eno turned out to be a fun choice. Most of his music has a distinct textural quality that can either inform or accompany drawing shapes, shades, lines, etc. His approach to instrumentation and composition feels less tied to traditional theory (e.g., guitar-bass-drums for rock, verse goes here, chorus there, etc.) and more about creating moods or shapes; is it any wonder that he has used instruments like a "snake guitar?" So, whether he's adding subtle flourishes to another band's monster pop hit or stretching and bending a single chord for several minutes on one of his own compositions, he seems more interested in making tangible, sensory experiences than familiar verse-chorus songs.

At this point I'm relegated to mention his Music for Airports album (it's all in the title, people) and the endlessly recounted factoid that he "invented" ambient music. I'm somewhat relieved that I couldn't find my copy of Airports and pulled a broad selection of his catalog -- not just the ambient stuff. In truth, the aforementioned textural quality is a through-line in his work, from his early skronk on Roxy Music's "Ladytron" to the quiet hum floating through the otherwise abominable "Beautiful Day." So, in a way most of his music has an atmospheric quality. Not so much wallpaper, but more intimate and close to the skin, like an ever-present blanket or sweater... gads, Eno makes slanket music. Shudder.

How this relates to the drawing? I'm unsure. The other day Nate and I came to the conclusion that the music at these sessions has been present, but hasn't necessarily informed the drawing. So, we're exploring whether we can make that connection. I think it's happened at times, like last night during the last 20-minute poses when we had jerky cuts from Devo and Talking Heads in the first pose, then moved to the gauzy Slowdive and Eno's Apollo album (music for space!). There was an arc starting with the light mood of the crowd after the break that transitioned into a flow state during the second pose. I still don't think the music made anything in particular, but it certainly helped guide the shape of that transition.

Sidenote: I remembered yesterday that as a teen I used to listen to U2 records when I was sick. At the time I was most into aggressive music, but Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby and Zooropa were in rotation when I was bedridden. At the time I didn't have a clue who was Brian Eno, let alone how he, Daniel Lanois (another great guy for a theme) and Steve Lillywhite crafted U2's sound from the mid-80s to the present. Looking back it makes sense that these albums were a part of a recovery process. What more can I say? Thanks, Eno!

Oh, and I'm going to limit embedding all the videos b/c it takes too long for the site to load when I have 20 videos. Instead here's a YT playlist with the songs that were used last night. Feel free to holler if you have any questions.

Also, look at the right side of this page to follow me via F-book, Twitter, email or in line at Western Beef to find out about upcoming gigs and the such.

Cosmic Slop

2010-10-31T22:37:00.000-04:00

Late, I know, but:

Boo.

+DRAWING+MODEL+MUSIC+BEER+: Stories

2010-10-24T19:56:00.001-04:00

Drawing by Emily Gibson

Most of the drawing sessions follow a structure similar to traditional storytelling. Think of an A-B-C narrative: introduction, the conflict, the resolution. Now think about the sessions: we warm-up and get to know the subject; we get into the flow; and then we wrap-up. It's a familiar arc and a natural for the sessions.

Of course, there are also numerous, rich stories in song. So, what better theme than to get ultra-meta?

I focused on certain genres or types of storytelling in music to help guide the selection process. Some of the traditions I focused on are quite old; murder ballads, for example, can be traced back several centuries. Admittedly, the sets gravitated toward male POV storytelling and were overwhelmingly dark and serious (murder, abuse, morality tales). I tried to lighten the mood with humor (Shel Silverstein, Loudon Wainwright III) and more recent, pop forms of storytelling (gender confusion).

There was a lot we didn't get to, so maybe this theme will be revisited?

5 30-sec & 5 2-min
I wanted to jump right into compelling stories to make clear the theme, but my strongest set -- a series of versions of the murder ballad "Stagger Lee" -- seemed too grim and serious. So, I went with what I thought would be a more digestible set: maudlin teen angst pop from the '60s--specifically Teen Death or "Splatter Platters" that deal with a teen couple and a tragic death. Car/bike accident-related deaths were quite popular, especially around the time of James Dean's death. Thankfully for Julie Brown's 1987 satire to add some meta-ness.

Mark Dinning's "Teen Angel"

Jan & Dean's "Dead Man's Curve"

The Shangri-Las' "Leader of the Pack"

Julie Brown's "Homecoming Queen's Got a Gun"

2 5-min
Parenthood frequently comes up in each of the sub-genres. "Cat's in the Cradle" is like a morality tale. "Me and Jesus..." is like a murder ballad. And "Boy Named Sue" is just plain fun. We only had time for the latter two:

Johnny Cash's "A Boy Named Sue"
Songwriter Shel Silverstein joins Johnny Cash on Cash's short-lived variety show.

The Coup's "Me & Jesus the Pimp in a '79 Granada Last Night"

2 10-min
Insanity also comes up frequently. Admittedly, there aren't too many strong narratives in these picks, but there is a strong sense of place or visuals in each of these songs.

Lambert, Hendricks & Ross' "Twisted"

Willie Dixon & Koko Taylor's "Insane Asylum"

Porter Wagoner's "Rubber Room"

Suicidal Tendencies' "Institutionalized"

Geto Boys' "Mind's Playing Tricks on Me"

Henry Jacobs' "There Are Drums In My Typewriter"

break

5 30-sec & 5 2-min
What's the flip to teen angst? Teen lust and the joys of being young. "Chesterfield King," in spite of its muddy vocals, captures the spirit of this idea. Sarah and I were talking about "Harper Valley PTA" during the break, so that was dedicated to her (and her mom!). The Annie song always reminds me of the excitement of a party. And Craig Finn from the Hold Steady always does a bang-up job writing about being young, high and out of control.

Jawbreaker's "Chesterfield King" (fast fwd to 3:24, but the whole clip is cool)
Most of the live versions on YT are pretty LQ, but here's one audio-only vid from CBGB's that's helpful for deciphering the lyrics.

Jeannie C. Riley's "Harper Valley PTA"

Annie's "Heartbeat"

The Hold Steady's "Chillout Tent"
Drive-by Truckers join the Hold Steady for this live version.

2 5-min
Let's lighten the mood:

Loudon Wainwright's "Man Who Couldn't Cry"
Not to make this into the Johnny Cash hour, but the Man in Black also does a great cover.

Shel Silverstein's "Dirty Ol' Me"

2 20-min
The Lou Reed and the Raincoats' Kinks cover should make the theme of this section apparent. The Led Zep and Pink Floyd joints have better stories behind the songs than having clear stories in each song. The former involves bassist John Paul Jones getting high with a trannie in a hotel room, falling asleep, then waking up to find the hotel room on fire because one of them dropped their joint. The latter is about a guy that used to steal women's undergarments from laundry lines. And thank Suzi Q for her To Wong Foo tribute.

Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side"

Pink Floyd's "Arnold Layne"

Led Zeppelin's "Royal Orleans"

Suzi Quatro's "Glycerine Queen"

The Raincoats' "Lola"

The last set finally went to the traditional murder ballad form. Funny because I started with these, but ended up using very few of them. The main song at the center of this cycle is "Cocaine Blues," aka "Bad Lee Brown" aka "Little Sadie." The variations between the Guthrie, Dylan and Cash versions are slight: Jericho become Juarez, and there is alternating emphasis on drug use. By the time the song is in Richards' hands, brown is undoubtedly all white. Dillinger takes this to another level by behaving like a coke-headed menace. And Brooklyn disco band Escort's recent upgrade of the song ties together all these loose ends.

Woody Guthrie's "Bad Lee Brown"

Johnny Cash's "Cocaine Blues"

Bob Dylan's "Little Sadie"

Keith Richards' "Cocaine Blues"

Dillinger's "Cocaine In My Brain

Escort's "Cocaine Blues"
Sasha Frere-Jones' New Yorker piece on retro music inspired some chatter, particularly on WNYC and Thirteen. The latter is actually a good starting point for this entire segment.

Wa Ba Mi Gbe

2010-10-12T22:32:00.000-04:00

Photo by Trident

sintalentos - palleymoto

Give Her Rome For Mother's Day

2010-08-19T19:02:00.001-04:00

Drawing by Nathan Sensel

A few weeks ago my buddy Nate and I started the live model drawing session +DRAWING+MODEL+MUSIC+BEER+. The idea's in the name: have some tallboys, listen to some chunes and draw from a live model. We have been using his studio, so it's a rare chance to get an up-close view of a model. Nate's the pro in this department, as he's the artist and has plenty of experience and ideas of how to situate subjects. We've been working together to create themes for each of the sessions, which I link through the music.

The sessions are something of a dream for me. Captive audience and nuanced music themes? That's ideal for any musician or dj. And the results have been very satisfying as many participants have given hearty feedback. We didn't formally share the theme of last night's session (which was hosted at The Mansion, instead), but opening with "Independent Women" and "I Don't Need A Man" was enough to send a clear message. So, as both a follow-up resource and a small thank you, below is the set-list from last night's session. I've been meaning to post these, so I'll do a little back-tracking over the next few days and post up the past lists.

A quick postscript about last night's session. The idea came from the "effaman" blend I made for the homie KC a few years back. The theme is in the title: the spurned hetero woman or gay man shouting, "Eff my man/fill-in-the-blank-ex-lover." I re-listened to the blend and realized that many of the songs didn't actually express such an aggressive sentiment. I started combing through songs and found that many female artists offer more nuanced messages of self-love and getting over. Sure, there are plenty of songs expressing anger towards a former better half -- Dixie Chicks' murder-pop "Goodbye Earl" takes my vote for being both over-the-top and a comic counterpart to Eminem's "Kim" -- but themes of independence, strength and recovery rose to the top of my pile. I sub-divided each of the poses into the various ideas I came across, as listed below. All this begs another question: is the gendered difference in music also reflective of how men and women view the end of relationships?

If you're interested in participating in a future session, holler at me.

10 30-sec:
what it means to be a woman...

Destiny's Child - "Independent Women, Part 1"

TLC - "Silly Ho"

5 1-min:
independence

Blackalicious - Nikki Giovanni's "Ego Trip" (Feat. Erinn Anova)

Pussycat Dolls - "I Don't Need a Man"

3 2-min:
men are flawed

Yo-Yo - "Girl, Don't Be No Fool"

Queen Latifah - "U.N.I.T.Y."

Jan Bradley - "Mama Didn't Lie"

2 5-min:
leaving bad relationships

The Supremes - "You Keep Me Hangin' On"

Nancy Sinatra - "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'"

Kellee Patterson - "If It Don't Fit Don't Force It"

2 10-min:
men's infidelity: when men do it, it's not ok

Gladys Knight & the Pips - "Who Is She (And What Is She To You)"

Aaliyah - "If Your Girl Only Knew"

women's infidelity: when women do it, it's justified

TLC - "Creep"

Loretta Lynn "I Got Caught"

Marsha Ambrosius - "I Hope She Cheats"

break

2 20-min:
independence and knowing that you're better than that loser

Darlene Love - "Stumble and Fall"

Barbara Lynn - "You'll Lose a Good Thing"

Lesley Gore - "You Don't Own Me"

Barbara Lynn - "I'm A Good Woman"

Sylvester - "Was It Something I Said"

Estelle - "No Substitute Love"

Toni Braxton - "Take This Ring"

funny shit

20 Fingers & Gillette "Short Dick Man"

divas and anthems

Loretta Lynn - "Don't Come Home A Drinkin'"

Carly Simon - "You're So Vain"

Gloria Gaynor - "I Will Survive"

Destiny's Child - "Survivor"

Kelly Clarkson - "Since U Been Gone"

Betty Wright - "Where Is The Love"

I Love Desi 4: Loosies

2010-07-30T09:27:00.002-04:00

The fourth and final segment of the India 2010 retrospective, Loosies, covers the miscellaneous left-overs. The section could also be called Love Is In The Air because most of the numbers have a romantic undercurrent. But "Chalo Re Doli Uthao Kahar" is hardly a lovers' ballad, and these are not all stand-out anthems. Rather, they're just some fun ones to cap the series. Enjoy, and goodbye July!

"Accident Ho Gaya" (from Coolie)

Without noticing, I picked up a bunch of soundtracks for films starring longtime megastar Amitabh Bachchan. The actor doesn't really have a Western equivalent in terms of ubiquity and longevity. Put it this way: the man is on everything from insurance ad billboards to award-winning films.

Coolie became famous even before its release because of a serious on-set accident that Bachchan suffered. That said, the writing team of Laxmikant-Anand turn out a fairly neat soundtrack. There are some pretty cool accordion and electric guitar leads on "Lambuji Lambuji," but "Accident Ho Gaya" gets the pick for capturing the over-the-top qualities of Bollywood: receiving flower wreaths from birds, dancing atop train cars, rolling around in a street filled with limes... the usual.

Admittedly the other half of the disc is melodramatic, but there are enough acoustic guitar accompaniments to lend an accessible feel.

As an aside, in late April Bachchan announced on his blog that he had contracted a form of Hepatitis from a blood transfusion required after the aforementioned accident. If anything is more surprising than this revelation, it's the fact that the guy has been blogging almost everyday since April 2008. He's 67 and stays on his grizzly!

"Chalo Re Doli Uthao Kahar" (from Jaani Dushman)

The incomparable Mohammed Rafi on this somber joint from the climax to the horror thriller Jaani Dushman. His rather sincere take seems a bit ridiculous in the context of a film where a Walgreen's Wolfman kills brides-to-be, but also brings a welcome sense of levity to Reena Roy's final parade as a single woman. Will she be axed? Or will the good guys save her? Watch and find out!

"Kya Gazab Karte Ho Jee" (from Love Story)

Two tales of teen lust from two different composers. The first is another R.D. Burman joint: a lightly syncopated guitar and a coy Asha Bhosle are about as close you'll get to doo wop in Bollywood. But the pairing is appropriately youthful and seductive--a perfect match for Aruna Irani seducing the virginal Kumar Gaurav rocking the MJ jacket

I Love Desi 3: Go, Go!

2010-07-21T07:00:00.001-04:00

Continuing the India 2010 retrospective is part 3, Go, Go! Not just go-go, but the thrill that makes you shout those words emphatically and repeatedly. Bollywood is filled with these moments, particularly in its cabaret numbers and action sequences. Here are a few that I came up on:

"Piya Tu Ab To Aja" (from Caravan)

The story of a woman on the run who joins a caravan. You know the music has to be good! Musically, this was my favorite find. End-to-end burners on this R.D. Burman score from 1971. The slinky and mysterious "Piya Tu Ab To Aja" is a load of fun. The slow burn intro makes way for an Afro-Cuban breakdown and Asha Bhosle yodeling "Hi-De-Ho!!" Or at least that's what I hear. It's a gradual burner with fun twists and turns to get you cha-cha-cha-ing or twisting in a drunken frenzy. No wonder by the end of the number Helen is ripping off her clothes. The Bollywood icon kills it with her Tammy Faye eyes and Liza-like hustle.

"Darogaji Chori Ho Gai" (from Gautam Govinda)

One of the three joints G&G picked up, and I had exceptionally high hopes for this one simply b/c it has G's name in the title. And Laxmikant Pyarelal did the score. The music is good, but hardly exceptional. So, I went with the old reliable: the romance joint. Asha Bhosle voices for Moushmi Chatterjee, as the Bengali actress' character lays her mack down on male lead Shashi "Inspector Gautam" Kapoor.

"Yeh Dil Na Hota Bechara" (from Jewel Thief)

S.D. Burman's Jewel Thief was the second find and fares much better. Overall the songs are cheeky and fun, a good match for the slickly-shot film (lots of great single-take tracking shots, particularly during the "Raat Akeli Hai" number)

The sequence itself is an amusing if dated meeting of past and present (convertible v. cows), East and West (uh, convertible v. cows). But the music is a pleasant ditty with Kishore Kumar showing off some yodeling in the intro.

"Disco Station" (from Hathkadi) (off some MP3 CD)

In the '50s there were songs with a train motif. In the '60s and '70s there were meta songs about specific "in" dances, e.g. "Do the ____" And in 1982 you could count on a Hindi film to re-imagine these stock tropes as a Frankenstein-stiff bustler like "Disco Station." Peep the borderline "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah" string breakdown @ 2:20.

The number runs long for my tastes, but then again this was meant to be a dance number. And the spectacle of lovers disembarking from a soul train as little people guide them to their markers helps move the number along.

"Cabaret Dance Music" (from Dharmatma)

The Feroz Khan film is another mega-hit from 1975 and the entire soundtrack is a beast. The Kalyanji-Anadji team stretch out on a set that includes everything from ferocious Pathani drumming to conventional romantic numbers like "Kya Khoob Lagti Ho" to the epic "Title Music," which Jaylib fans should be familiar with. The slinky, voodoo-inspired cabaret scene gets featured here as it's a primo slice of action-sequence muzack.

"Ae Meri Awaz Ke Dosto" (from Aamne Samne)

It's A Man's Man's Man's World strings, a drum machine electro beat and Moroder synths all within the first minute. This isn't the only R.D. Burman cut to do so, but shit if you're in your 40s and still adopting new technology to keep your music current.

"Duniya Men" (from Apna Desh)

How do you explain this latin-tinged garage go-go explosion? Just as such. Unsurprisingly, the Sun City Girls covered this. Peep the tracking shot @ 3:04. If only Russ Meyers had a bigger budget and worked in India. Oh, and the proto-Austin Powers album cover?

"Gambler In Danger" (from Gambler)

The third and best of G&G's finds. Gautam's cousin Taij smiled when she saw this, which was a quick tip of the film's relative popularity. Another all-around solid set from S.D. Burman on this 1971 film. But g-d if the interstitial music isn't more interesting. Ranging from spaghetti ("Gambler's Dilemma") to lounge ("Gambler Faces Another Problem") to this all-out action sequence burner.

Next up is the fourth and final part, Loosies...

I Love Desi 2: The Other

2010-07-14T07:13:00.001-04:00

I'm continuing the review of India 2010 with part 2, The Other. In other words, Bollywood's incorporation and exploration of other music styles and ethnicities. A quick reminder: this is simply based off the tunes I picked up and hardly a comprehensive look.

"O Diwano Dil Sambhalo" (from The Great Gambler).

Asha Bhosle & R.D. Burman. That's like Snoop & Dre, India & MAW; a winning combo. The soundtrack restores the song's highlight--a brooding opening that that sounds like Morricone shouting, "Attenzione!" I know, this bit is clipped from the film. But plenty to enjoy once the Tijuana Brass breaks out.

"Na Mangun Sona Chandi" (from Bobby)

Laxmikant Pyarelal's soundtrack to this early teen rom-com affair appropriately pairs a swinging "Volare" beat with Tijuana Brass. Didn't know they shot this scene in Epcot Center. Anyway, turns out there's more of this Italian folk-inspired music...

"Chahe Koi Khush Ho" (from Taxi Driver)

The great thing about Hindi music television is there is an abundance of playback singer video shows. Problem is they don't credit any of the singers or the film sources. So, I haven't been able to track down any of the moments that I enjoyed the most. Nevertheless, I tried to find some older soundtracks and came across this S.D. Burman effort from 1954. Much of the music and film feels quaint in an almost Merry Melodies way. And then there's this cut, which seems to further support the idea of some Italo-Indo link. With a delightfully skipping rhythm similar to "Funiculi, Funicula", no surprise it's a gaggle of guys chummily singing as they try to drive a busted jalopy down the road.

"Denewala Jabhi Deta (from Funtoosh)

This S.D. Burman track is not necessarily the best from Funtoosh, but is notable for its roll call of ethnic stereotypes: Chinese, Russians, Hawaiians and gay Black pirates all get some. Hardly shocking, but more fascinating for why these particular groups were chosen.

Next up will be part 3, Go, Go!

I Love Desi 1: Big Themes

2010-07-07T09:26:00.001-04:00

Went to India back in March. Oddly, it was a finance guy that summed it up: "Was it everything from depths-of-poverty crazy to mind-blowingly awesome?"

Yeah.

It is the sort of experience that is so all-encompassing that it makes no sense to speak of it in any general terms. Categories like food, politics, art, etc. need to be broken down to specifics. The taste of melting mutton and berries over a healthy bed of rice under a cool ceiling fan. The daily passing of electronic billboards that encourage unity to "vanquish terror." The feel of a slumgirl's dried, calloused hand as she grabbed my arm to get my attention. The luxury of wading in a country club swimming pool. The un-calculating smile of a driver at the end of a long day of sitting in the heat for hours and going through hell on the highway. The calculating smile of a driver at the end of 24 hours of constant swindling. The ecstasy of downing clean, pure water after a day of wandering. Etc., etc.

You'd think I would focus on the music, but I suppose I did in ways I hadn't planned: feeling the rhythm of rush hour traffic (both on the sidewalks and the streets); hearing the frequent din of religion; and of course seeing the flashy signifier of any metropolis: videos/television. I didn't take to the conventional ways of consuming music until the last few days when I realized, "Yikes, I haven't taken to the conventional ways of consuming music." A couple trips to Rhythm House, some peeks at the tellie and liberal use of Continental's direct movie system were about it. Hell, G&G dug at Chor Bazaar for me!

All to say, I owe G&G and y'all some love. Today's blend is a mix of tracks that I picked up and G&G picked up for me. The songs are all Hindi film songs from the '50s to the '80s. Being music from the past, all of it feels completely separate from the trip--like some lost appendix. That said, the music has a universal willingness to break boundaries--a sense of freedom we saw everywhere we went. Maybe that's why I gravitated towards the songs that freely incorporate other cultural elements; remind me again why it took so long for Western artists to mine South Asian music? Yet at the same time there is a quaintness that locks these songs in another time--similar to how the trip has been shelved away in my memory.

This post ran long, so I'll split it into four parts over the coming days: Big Themes; The Other; Go, Go!; and Loosies. The first section contains some of the "big" numbers that came into the collection:

"Mehbooba Mehbooba" (from Sholay)
&
"Hum Tumhe Chante Hain" (from Qurbani)

Sholay and Qurbani represent major commercial benchmarks in Bollywood history. The former is the highest-grossing film in Indian cinematic history and ran in one Mumbai theater for over 5 years. The film's theme music alone summarizes the film's mass appeal: a short, simple fusion of memorable playback melodies and '60s latin-'pop rhythms. Qurbani is an '80s hit that most everyone saw back in the day. But the soundtracks are pretty distinct.

R.D. Burman applied his typically eclectic touch to Sholay. I picked "Mehbooba Mehbooba" for the appearance of the composer on the vocals. He stepped behind the mic on occasion, but this one seems to capture the idiosyncratic qualities of his voice. The track itself is an interesting take on Cypriot folk music, which you could easily overlook given the camp value of the accompanying dance sequence.

Kalyanji-Anandji lend the Bondish Qurbani a classy touch (particularly the qawwali-inflected title cut). Many remember the unabashed pop flotsam "Aap Jaisa Koi," especially with its "Rock Me Baby" knock-off drum machine. But "Hum Tuhme Chahte Hain" is the standout with its faux celeste breakdown.

"Pretty Woman" (from Kal Ho Na Ho)

S.R. Khan being in the headlines was no surprise. The actor has been an institution for years now. While we were there, most of the press was about My Name Is Khan and his meeting with Akon for the upcoming film Ra One. That said, this joint from 2003 got some burn on the hotel tellie and reminded me of SRK's long-standing America-philia. Why this guy hasn't conquered the States yet is beyond me--this number screams I Love Apple Pie And NASCAR, Too!!

Next up will be part 2, The Other...

Take Me Home

2010-06-25T08:34:00.001-04:00

Oh, it's Pride in NYC this weekend.
Penelope Edmund
"Hey (DJ Trident & Sister Mantos Remix)"

sintalentos: summer 2010

Summer is the one season that doesn't represent change. In terms of everything from the literal (like the weather) or the abstract (like moods), the other three seasons often feel like transition periods. Fall begets Winter which begets Spring = the life-death-life cycle. But summer? Summer is not the jump-off to Fall, it just is.

Maybe that's why the best summer music is often so simple. Like an act free of premeditation, it represents pure nowness, the core essence of just being. S'why there's incessant pogoing with Posner. S'why there's manic jangle from those Swedish Brasileiras--or is it the other way around?

Ironically, s'why there's probably also the shamelessly ignorant: what do you get when you stir R. Kelly + "chocolate?" Or the shamelessly repetitive (even N.E.R.D.s know to get to the hook within 15 seconds).

Admittedly, for being such an in-the-moment season my subconscious seems to be on constant nostalgia watch. Bands called Delorean. Zola Jesus with her big beat side project. There's even a cumbia-fied Re-return Of The Mack. And my favorite cut? The surprisingly reflective "All I Want."

Enough chatter: enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.

Drake: Fireworks (Feat. Alicia Keys)
Killer Mike: Ready Set Go (Feat. T.I.)
Kurupt: Bounce, Rock, Skate (Kurupted Mix) (Feat. DJ Drama, Snoop Dogg, Terrace Martin & DJ Quik)
El Hijo de la Cumbia: Cumbia Dale Maradona (Remix)
Nika+Rory: Do You Wanna Be?
White Flight: Panther
Mark Morrison: Return Of The Mack (SDP Remix)
Lil' Jon: Ms. Chocolate (Feat. R.Kelly & Mario)
Delorean: Simple Graces
N.E.R.D.: Hot & Fun (Feat. Nelly Furtado)
Gyptian: Hold Yuh (Major Lazer Remix)
Big Boi: Lookin 4 Ya (Feat. Sleepy Brown & Andre 3000)
Christina Aguilera: Elastic Love (Feat. M.I.A.)
Zuzuka Poderosa: Anel (Bonde do Zombinhos Remix)
Martin Brothers: Duck Face
Mike Posner: Cooler Than Me (Gigamesh Remix Final Version)
Garotas Suecas: Codinome Dinamite
LCD Soundsystem: All I Want
Rusko: Woo Boost
Usher / Trey Songz: Lil' Freak

Both Sides Now

2010-06-11T13:12:00.002-04:00

Follow Superclogger via Twitter

sintalentos: day 1

When I tell people I DJ, I usually get one of two responses: the first is a casual "Oh...," the type that trails off towards an ambiguous path of exhausted familiarity or plain disinterest; the second is the slightly more engaged, "What do you like to spin?"

If I had it BK, it'd be transitions between Geto Boys and Bebel Gilberto.

Fleetwood Mac: Albatross
The Beatles: Sun King
Jorge Ben: Minha Teimosia, Uma Arma Pra Te Conquistar
Charlie Parker Sextet: My Little Suede Shoes
Chico Hamilton Quintet: The Morning After
Miles Davis: Venus De Milo
Thelonious Monk: Green Chimneys (Previously Unissued)
Jackie Mittoo & Ernest Ranglin: A Big Car
Dwele: A.N.G.E.L.
Geto Boys: Mind Playing Tricks On Me (Instrumental)
Bebel Gilberto: River Song
Serge Gainsbourg: Couleur Cafe
Wes Montgomery: Come Rain Or Come Shine (Take 2)
Herbie Hancock: Fat Mama
Cal Tjader & Eddie Palmieri: Guajira En Azul
Madeleine Peyroux: (Getting Some) Fun Out Of Life
Les McCann Ltd.: Falling in Love With Love
Mulatu Astatke: The Way To Nice
+2 Moreno, Domenico & Kassin: Quebrando Um Galho

Back at home for a minute. Man, it's good out here: eating blueberries fresh from the front yard and scoring $1 copies of a Tendaberry.

Travel time for me still means fun time for you. Here's one of several blends for my beautiful friends Laura e Mario. Mario is one of the good folks behind an awesome new Neapolitan restaurant opening soon in the UES Tiella. Which means this blend is on the sip-don't-slurp, nibble-don't-burp relaxation tip. I.e., please indulge heavily this weekend.

Boomin' In Your Jeep

2010-06-04T09:45:00.001-04:00

sintalentos: jeep beats

One of the best things about catching the occasional ride home with Eborn after our weekly work-out is the chance to chop it up about beats and to let his system boom. The summer stick is already thick in the air, so an open window and Boot Camp will surely be our coolants for the next few months.

Coupled with my summer annual wisp of nostalgia, I now have jeeps on the brain. Remember how cats used to talk about jeep beats? I think I understood the term broadly: low end + kicking drums + sporty vehicle with a completely exposed frame = hot fun in the summertime. I never really thought too deeply on it, probably because my generation was more interested in lex, coups, beamaz and benz (as I stared blankly out of the yellow bus, RTD or Josh's Volvo).

Oh Word covered the overlooked jeep beat gem Da King & I's Contemporary Jeep Music a while back. But there hasn't been too much recent coverage on jeep beats as a style or trope. I put this blend together to get the wheels turning. Funny how most meta songs -- in this case, the ones that specifically talk about jeep music or jeep this and that -- rarely capture the essence of what they are trying to be meta about. If anything, the joints that don't address jeepness -- KRS & Primo, EPMD, Nas & Extra P -- seem to capture the spirit more succinctly.

Nothing more to add for now because I don't know where this is going.

Da King & I: Contemporary Jeep Music
The Funke Natives: Urban Contemporary Jeep Music (Vocal)
Masta Ace Incorporated: Jeep Ass Niguh / Jeep Ass Niguh (Dusted Mix)
Kenny Dope: Boomin' In Ya Jeep (Feat. Screechy Dan) (LP Version)
Madonna: Erotica (Jeep Beats)
Tha 9-X Cru: Smoked Hickory (Jeep Version)
Terminator X: Homey Don't Play Dat (Feat. Bonnie 'N' Clyde)
KRS-One: Outta Here
EPMD: Total Kaos
NaS: Halftime
Big L: Put It On
Tragedy: Da Funk Mode (Feat. Havoc)
Domino: Getto Jam [West Coast Jeep Dub]
LL Cool J: Back Seat
Lost Boyz: Jeeps, Lex Coups, Bimaz & Benz
A Tribe Called Quest: Jazz (We've Got)
Black Moon: How Many Emcee's (Must Get Dissed) (Bushwick Jeep Mix)
Terminator X: Can't Take My Style (Instrumental)

Dancing Three On One

2010-05-28T17:15:00.001-04:00

Ok, so maybe JVD in Breakin' > Tonya doin' the Billy Ocean?

sintalentos - breaks, vol. 4

Was trying to stay ahead of the game by having the summer blend ready for this weekend. That's not happening, so I dug out another old blend. More breaks for your soggy bbq weekend:

Afrique - Soul Makossa
Simon Kenyatta Group - Soul Makossa
Lafayette Afro-Rock Band - Soul Makossa
Jimmy Castor - It's Just Begun (Eli Re-Edit)
James Brown - Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose (Remix)
Herman Kelly & Life - Dance To The Drummer Beat
Captain Sky - Super Sporm
Vaughan Mason & Crew - Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll (Part 1)
Loose Joints - Is It All Over My Face? (Female Vocal)
Central Line - Walking Into Sunshine (Larry Levan Mix)
Donald Byrd - Love Has Come Around
Inner Life - I'm Caught Up (In A One Night Love Affair)
The Salsoul Orchestra Magic Journey - Runaway (Feat. Loleatta Holloway)
MFSB - Love Is The Message (Danny Krivit Re-Edit)
First Choice - Let No Man Put Asunder (Shep Pettibone 1983 Mix)
Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band - Cherchez La Femme
Marvin Gaye - Got to Give It Up (Pt. 1)
Teddy Pendergrass - Only You
Rick James - Give It To Me Baby
Michael Jackson - Get On The Floor (Holy Ghost! Edit)
Anita Ward - Ring My Bell (12'' Mix)
Cerrone - Supernature (Original Full Mix)
Donna Summer - I Feel Love (Original 12" Mix)
Ripple - The Beat Goes On

Also picked up the new Dave Tompkins joint on the history of the vocoder, How To Wreck A Nice Beach. Just cracked the first few pages and it's already a blast. From Bond-ish tool of espionage to calling out the freaks on the dancefloor? A mighty instrument, indeed. Admittedly, I still need to finish my bday present.

O.G. Infernal Affairs?

2010-05-07T09:05:00.014-04:00

Dancing @ 0:21 > Tonya doing "Caribbean Queen" ("He also does the Moonwalk, but I don't know how to do that yet"). But only by a slim margin

sintalentos - freestyle

I was really keen on freestyle when I first moved to the beast, perhaps b/c of home sickness. Of course, the City is freestyle Mecca and '80s babies from the boroughs and uptown can kick a healthy amount of knowledge. So maybe I was content to just talk (record) shop with Dom, b/c I never bothered to play out a lot of these records. Then Guro asked for some Johnny O to help celebrate his niece's 16th. So, I was happy to oblige.

Sandée - Notice Me (Clivilles & Cole Club Vocal)
Noel - Silent Morning (12" Club)
Shannon - Let The Music Play
Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam - I Wonder If I Take You Home
The Cover Girls - Show Me (The Nest Mix)
India - Bailando En El Fuego (Spanish Mix)
Nayobe - No Te Vayas (Please Don't Go)
Pajama Party - Yo No Sé (Vocal)
Exposé - Point Of No Return (Ultimix)
Debbie Deb - Look Out Weekend
Debbie Deb - When I Hear Music
Cynthia & Johnny O - Dreamboy/Dreamgirl (Radio Freestyle Mix)
Johnny O - Fantasy Girl
Lil' Suzy - Take Me In Your Arms
Jaya - If You Leave Me Now (Radio Mix)
Stevie B - I Wanna Be The One (Radio Mix)
Freestyle - It's Automatic
Yazoo - Don't Go
Stacey Q - Two Of Hearts
JJ Fad - Supersonic
DJ Trident - ONE MORE TRY REMIX

BTW, a few new pieces on Prefix:

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings: I Learned The Hard Way
Mike Patton: Mondo Cane
Very Be Careful: Escape Room

Do You Love Me?

2010-05-06T23:19:00.008-04:00

Davos: '60s
Mirman: '00s?

sintalentos - spring 2010

J-Live: The Way That I Rhyme
Aloe Blacc: I Need A Dollar
Broken Bells: Vaporize
Gorillaz: Stylo (Feat. Bobby Womack, Mos Def)
Big Boi: Shutterbug
M.I.A.: Born Free
E-40: The Server
Beck: Guns In The Sky
Paul Weller: Find The Torch
She & Him: In The Sun
Javelin: Mossy Woodland
BLK JKS: ZOL!
Holy Ghost!: Say My Name
Blaqstarr: Oh My Darlin'
Sonora: Memoria
DãM-FunK: Things That Dreams Are Made Of
Treasure Fingers: What Am I Supposed To Do
A-Trak: Trizzy Turnt Up
Sleigh Bells: Tell 'Em
Yeasayer: O.N.E.
LCD Soundsystem: Home

Spring bears to mind all the fruitful aspects of possibility. Hearts flutter with new flirtations. Ears perk up to the sound of a new beat. And the first washes of heat welcome back an old friend (and source of much-needed Vitamin D).

Pierrot le fou is in many regards a fall-winter movie: a journey to a destructive fate. But falling in and out of love never felt so good! Davos can't seem to let go, but Belmondo's sailing down the Styx in stupidly cool style by clip's end.

Oh, and enjoy the choonage. All joints are from 2010 and meant for your seasonal frolicking.

Living For The Smidge

2010-05-04T07:04:00.004-04:00

Cover of Talking Heads' French 7" of "Psycho Killer," via Discogs. This has nothing to do with anything

Been back to writing for a couple weeks now, so I've got a few pieces up at Prefix:

Nels Cline Singers: Initiate
The Hold Steady: Heaven Is Whenever
Laura Marling: I Speak Because I Can
Poirier: Running High
Various: Kitsuné Maison
Very Be Careful: Escape Room

And please check out the artist pages, as we've been putting up a lot of content recently. For my part, I've done close to 50 bios of everyone's favorite: cheerleader, internet sensation (from this past winter), singer-rapper who may or may not have been a criminal mastermind and "proprietor of [her] destiny."

Also back to work with Dirtystylus on setting up sintalentos dot com, so look for that in a minute.

Per the recent tweet, I'll post a couple freestyle blends I did for Guro's niece's sweet 16. Also am almost finished with the follow-up to the summer and winter blends.

And holler at me:

Facebook: http://facebook.com/sintalentos
Twitter: http://twitter.com/sintalentos

Just You and Me

2010-01-14T08:11:00.003-05:00

Eli has an apt recollection to share about Teddy Pendergrass. Teddy's accident may have cut short what would have surely been a history-making career--as in, Sam, Marvin, Donny, Teddy... However, there is plenty in his body of work to remind us of his talent and the resonance of his messages.

Stillness Is The Move

2009-12-29T08:06:00.000-05:00

image by aloucha

sintalentos - winter 2009 (mp3)

C'mon out to the Brodsky Center's annual gala on January 9, 2010 where I'll be spinning. More info here.

In the meantime, the above is some mersh music for the winter days ahead.

And, to everyone else, see you in the new year! 2010 promises a new gig at Blue Seats, and more.

Mama?

2009-12-01T20:23:00.001-05:00

December 1 is World AIDS Day/Day With(out) Art.

Get familiar via Contemporary Confections.

Friday Night, Just Got Paid

2009-10-21T21:47:00.003-04:00

CHERYLWEEN 2009
Friday, Oct 30
10:30pm
@
Bell House
149 7th St (bt. 2nd & 3rd Ave)
Park Slope
F to 9th St/4th Ave or M/R to 4th Ave/9th St
$5

Join the Cherylites f-book group for more details.

Hope to see you on the 'floor.

...When You Spell The Man's Name

2009-10-11T10:19:00.012-04:00

doom schwag available at stones throw

sintalentos - DOOM! (zip)

I know that Mos clip has been in rotation for a few months now. And Ta-Nehisi Coates' New Yorker piece has been out for a minute, too. But SB got the assist when she said, "I hadn't even heard of Doom..."

As Coates writes, Doom is hardly a household name, so a nod in the thinking person's weekly gazette could go a ways. What I like about Dumile is his hyper-awareness of constructed narratives. Coates talks about Chuck D and Biggie, but the narrative idea can be found in any celebrity artist: Bowie, Miles, Bono/U2, Dylan, et. al. Each of them actively constructs and reconstructs their persona for the public to consume. Most of Doom's identity manifestations, notably the physical one (the mask), are pretty tame by performance art standards, but pretty sophisticated by popular/hip hop culture's standards. However, he is constructing his persona from detritus of a specific class of pop culture (e.g., kids with working parents who had a TV for a babysitter) on arguably unpopular terms. Take the "Doomposters," for example:

"I'm the writer, I'm the director,” Dumile said. “If I was to go out there without the mask on, they'd be like, 'Who the fuck is this?' I might send a white dude next ... I'll send a Chinese n*****r. I'll send ten Chinese n*****s. I might send the Blue Man Group.”

I think I would pay to see that last one.

So, some quick words about the blend: it's not a greatest hits to catch you up to speed on Coates' Doom references. Instead, I picked songs that have caught my ear, or that I could readily access (i.e., this was about banging something out quickly, not about planning). When I put the songs together, some of the themes from the article shone through in colors -- unsurprisingly, the constant play with narratives.

I divided the blend into 6 chapters:

Chapter 1: Episodes 4-6
The first three Star Wars as a whole sort of match Doom's presentation of multiple identities/characters. These films present a story chronologically, but are essentially the same movie repeated: main characters face a conflict, they look to be defeated, they go through a training period, then they face the enemy in the story's climax. Doom similarly presents different characters (MF Doom, DOOM, King Geedorah, Viktor Vaughn, Metal Fingers, et al.), but essentially covers the same ground every time.

Madvillain (Madlib & MF Doom) - All Caps
MF Doom - Dead Bent (Original Version)
King Geedorah - Fazers
Viktor Vaughn - Villainous Villain
Metal Fingers - Saffron

Chapter 2: Episodes 1-3
The Star Wars series is established as having taken place "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away." But the prequels make clear that the original 3 movies represent "the present," while the 3 newer films represent "the past." What's odd about Episodes 1-3 is that their vision of the past is starkly different from the present, to the point of being disconnected. Doom's past works are genuine, unlike Lucas' efforts to write his own history after the fact. But his past has strangely become disconnected in a similar way. His rhyme style is different. His brother is dead, so KMD cannot be resurrected in a reunion. And he's burned bridges or is simply out of touch with people from his past (notably MF Grimm).

KMD - Gasface Refill (Feat. Onyx)
KMD - What a Nigga Know
KMD - Plumskinzz (Loose Hoe, God & Cupid)
KMD - What A Nigga Know? (Remix) (Feat. MF Grimm)

Chapter 3: Blues Clues
This section started as an exploration of Doom's pathology, but admittedly lost coherence. I think the broad, stretched theme is the blues, or tragedy. That said, he is like other emcees and rhymes mostly in a multi-narrative style, so it's a rare treat to listen to whole stories from him.

Viktor Vaughn - Bloody Chain
Madvillain - One Beer (Drunk Version)
Madvillain - Fancy Clown (Feat. Viktor Vaughn)
Metal Fingers - Lovage

Chapter 4: Super Friends
Coates' piece presents Doom as being both solitary and in need of company. It's a delicate balance b/c the Doom persona needs to be presented as a single identity, but clearly needs "the village" to make it happen. Personally, I think Doom is great on his own, but way better in the company of certain colleagues.

DOOM - Lightworks (Produced by J Dilla)
Viktor Vaughn - Saliva (Produced by RJD2)
Madvillain - Meat Grinder (Produced by Madlib)
Madvillain - Rhinestone Cowboy (Four Tet Remix)
MF Doom - Sniper Elite (Produced by J Dilla)

Chapter 5: Looney Tunes
Doom's music is as sophisticated as contemporary fine art art b/c it presupposes an enormous body of cultural knowledge. His references just happen to be more pop culture. His constant return to cartoons seems natural b/c it is a medium where the "larger than life" ethos can be explored ad infinitum.

Dangerdoom - Space Hoes
Metal Fingers - Vervain (Turmeric) (Samples original Spider Man Theme)
Gorillaz - November Has Come (Feat. MF Doom)
Dangerdoom - A.T.H.F. (Aqua Teen Hunger Force)
MF Doom - Hey!

Chapter 6 is a skit. Now, go ahead and listen.

Sun Be Shining

2009-07-27T00:02:00.007-04:00

image by moosealope

sintalentos - summer 09

...or, not so much these days.

Still, August mug lurks around the corner, so here's a belated blend to close out the season.

Director's commentary: play this on a battered boombox or in the jalopy you call your whip, not your headphones. In other words: if you care, please share.

Cheryl will be back on August 20. Bell House. Stay chooned.

2009-07-07T22:23:00.001-04:00

Remember the Time

2009-06-30T07:02:00.005-04:00

image by kristy, er, sara b

I haven't forgotten you: I'm baking more goodies in the kitchen.

Last Saturday, two Keri/Kerrys asked about MJ. Leave it to some soulful brothers from the left to cover that base. O-Dub and Murphy's Law recorded their "lesser known J5 and MJ covers/remixes/songs" and "best ofs" mixes from last week's Boogaloo[la]. Get them blends, plus more, at Oli's soul-sides.

Y recuerde siempre!

Hello It's Me

2009-05-24T13:02:00.009-04:00

image by ben sisto

sintalentos - cheryl away game (zip)

Breaking from the normal routine for a minute to toot the proverbial horn; very humbling and exciting to receive this encouragement:

* Time Out New York: Tonight's Last-Minute Plan
* Slice
* Mapcidy

For anyone directed here from the TONY blog post, please feel free to check out the above blend made specifically for the Cheryl crowd. It is more representative of the Cheryl aesthetic than my "normal" mixes on the right side of the screen (listed under "blends"). And, most important, swing by the Cheryl site or join the Cherylites Facebook group for updates.

A-Tisket

2009-04-13T23:43:00.007-04:00

Can't promise there won't be a Wickerman.

Big changes 'round the corner. Or may simply 'round the corner for a big change.

Catch the fire while you still can. And maybe you, too, can smell like cachaça and pepperoni by the end of the night.

April 16, 10pm
Cheryl: Pizza
@
Royale
506 5th Ave (bt 12th & 13th st)
Park Slope
F to 9th St/4th Ave or M/R to Prospect

p.s. - I'm up first this month, so don't take too much time getting sauced at home!

Headbanger

2009-03-15T11:16:00.005-04:00

Business as usual? No surprise considering there will always be a "market for cocaine and hookers."

It's C-time again, so c'mon through and help give a collective finger to the non-(market-)moving spectators.

March 19, 10pm
Cheryl
@
Royale
506 5th Ave (bt 12th & 13th st)
Park Slope
F to 9th St/4th Ave or M/R to Prospect

Primo

2009-03-01T07:26:00.011-05:00

times are hard when even stevie can't get a real horn section (via Wonkette)

sintalentos - boys, boys, boys

sintalentos - effaman

A number of you have shown up consistently at the gigs, particularly Cheryl, so consider this my way of saying, "Thanks."

Admittedly, this is thanks by way of thanks to KC, creator of one of my favorite mixes, "girls, girls, girls." Only took me a few years to return the favor, but thought I'd share with with everybody. And, no, this isn't solely for the double-x factor.

On an unrelated note, more proof that good things happen on or around my planned due date.

Positive Contact

2009-02-16T23:04:00.005-05:00

I. Introductory Remarks.

Anyone else read James Lieber's Village Voice cover story summarizing the current economic hate f---?

Hardly comprehensive and highly debatable, but Lieber pushes aside the "blame the high risk mortgages" and "f--- Madoff" rhetoric in favor of the hedge fund angle and how they profited off everyone's pain. Wow, that just made me feel dirty about my past temp work.

Spoiler alert: What have they learned? Not just that the gvt will pass them billions after raping our collective face, but that they can make some more cash money off our credit card debt, college loans, and auto loans. Indeed, Smith & Barney are a bunch of b-tches -- Bring the Ruckus!

II. Approval of Past Meeting's Minutes.

A belated shout to those that supported G-Unit and Tony Rico (get well, young'n)'s fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society. Also, mazel tov & Συγχαρητήρια για τον γάμο σας to H & N for the most beautifullest wedding. Evar. Lastly, shouts to the good folks behind last Tuesday's PR in conjunction with Muniz. Yes, I DJ'd b/c a certain billed DJ could not arrive on time. And, yes, you should call the organizers superstars by merit.

III. Action Items.

When the world is running down, Cheryl will always be there to make the worst of what's still around:

Thursday, February 19, 10pm
(I will only be on from 10 to 11:30pm this month, so early birds are encouraged to come and dance)
Cheryl
@
Royale
506 5th Ave (bt 12th & 13th st)
Park Slope
F to 9th St/4th Ave or M/R to Prospect

A Sea of Change

2009-01-20T13:03:00.007-05:00

PS: Did Rev. Lowery just say, "When white will embrace what is right"?

Nice Work...

2009-01-14T08:25:00.011-05:00

...unless you're one of the 7.2% that can't get it

sintalentos - cheryl away game (zip)

tlc - creep
george michael - freedom '90
notorious b.i.g. - party & bullshit (ratatat remix)
m.i.a. - galang
tv on the radio - golden age
charanga '76 - good times (como vamos a gozar)
debarge - who's johnny (short circuit theme)
the human league - don't you want me
luv' - trojan horse
fatback band - backstrokin'
roy ayers - runnin' away
the jacksons - can you feel it?
ce ce peniston - finally
gary numan - cars (bbc version)
diplo - shake it over and over
the bloody beatroots - butter
cut copy - hearts on fire
chromeo - fancy footwork
patrick hernandez - born to be alive
sylvester - you make me feel (mighty real)
the cars - shake it up
beck - girl
hall & oates - you make my dreams

Brand new year, brand new gigs, and an exclusive preview of a blend that'll ruin your life -- all for free 99 (or, in one case, a $10 charitable donation):

Thursday, January 15, 10pm
Cheryl: "Joyous Touchstone"
at
Royale
506 5th Avenue (bt. 12th & 13th St.)
Brooklyn 11215 (map here)
RSVP on Facebook here
F to 9th St/4th Ave or M/R to Prospect

Watch the latest video, "Joyous Touchstone" here

Friday, January 23, 8pm
Let the Music Play: A '70's/80's theme benefit for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
@
Blue Seats
157 Ludlow St (bt. Stanton & Rivington)
l.e.s.
F to 2nd Ave

You Just Don't Give it Away for Nothin'

2008-12-11T13:35:00.007-05:00

you gots to lego (via formatmag, courtesy of CBRAP)

How the bleep are you?

Once again, I actually have a quasi-events calendar. And, lucky you, my DJ gigs are all free!

Saturday, December 13, 7pm
Brick Real Estate holiday party*
93 Atlantic Avenue (bt. Hicks & Henry)
Brooklyn 11201 (map here)
RSVP on Facebook here

* - Yes, it's a party at a realtor's office. I'll be non-dj dj'g this party: meaning, I'll just be selecting songs from a laptop, so no real mixing. It is meant to be a low-key affair, so please stop by to enjoy some good choons and meet some nice ppl.

Thursday, December 18, 10pm
Cheryl, the dance party that will ruin your life, returns for its latest installment, "Arctic Fury"
at
Royale
506 5th Avenue (bt. 12th & 13th St.)
Brooklyn 11215 (map here)
RSVP on Facebook here

And, yes, there is an "Arctic Fury" video:

Lastly, I'd like to tell you about an event I am co-organizing. It is for PopRally, which is MoMA/P.S.1's young audiences initiative. This month, the focus is on P.S.1's NeoHooDoo exhibition (a broad, yet stimulating show dealing with spirituality in contempo art). Bridging the connection is one of NY's brightest bands Burnt Sugar (Greg Tate, longtime Village Voice writer and author of the seminal music/pop culture journalism anthology Flyboy in the Buttermilk, leads this rock improv group). All this, plus beer and a beautiful print by local artist Susanne Cerha is included in the price of admission.

Huh, you say? What all this means: pay 10 bucks, drink some free beer, see some cool art, hear some fusion rock-jazz-type music, and go home with a cool poster.

Tuesday, December 16, 7-10pm
PopRally: NeoHooDoo & Burnt Sugar
PS1
22-25 Jackson Ave (at 46th Ave)
Long Island City 11101
$10 advance/$12 at the door
more info & tix here

Dale Fuego

2008-11-10T20:42:00.003-05:00

Next Cheryl is Thursday, November 20. Shank you in advance for the memories.

Thanks also to everyone that stopped by last night's PopRally. Photos will likely post in the next day or two.

Work to Do

2008-11-05T19:30:00.003-05:00

The Family Stone

Muddy Waters - "Mannish Boy (I'm a Man)" (mp3)
(Purchase here)

Just don't call him "kid" no more.

P.S. - There's still plenty work to do.

Good Mornein'

2008-11-04T06:21:00.002-05:00

please...

Q-Tip - "Shaka" (Feat. Barack Obama) (mp3)
(Purchase here)

Vote.

Solid as a Rock

2008-11-03T06:35:00.004-05:00

And you're worried about hip-hop's endorsement?

PopMatters posted my column about the impact of hip-hop on the Obama campaign. Would have gone up sooner... except I missed my deadline... and my editor graciously accepted it late. I know, shame on me. That said, been trying to produce as much content as possible about this year's elections, so hopefully y'all find it relevant.

If you need to take a break from the chatter, and still got zombie on the brain, check out my latest for Prefixmag. It's a rundown of "zombie music," or posthumous music wherein the voice or performance of an artist is appropriated after their death for another song. Think 2Pac. Or Natalie Cole's "Unforgettable." Yes, those two can be found in the same sentence.

One nation under zombie, y'all.

No More Kings

2008-10-25T16:40:00.003-04:00

(via hana)

(via poplicks)

Call the People, Are You Ready?

2008-10-19T22:24:00.012-04:00

sintalentos - obama (are we ready for a black president?) (.zip file)
(please show your appreciation by making a contribution to the obama-biden campaign)

(intro from our sponsor...)
2pac - changes
will.i.am & the a-b-c-d list all-stars - yes we can
john legend - if you're out there
janelle monae - mr. president
joell ortiz - message to obama
(words from our sponsor...)
mavado - we need barack
ludacris - politics
young jeezy - my president is black (feat. nas)
prinz - barack obama freestyle
cocoa tea - barack obama
big boi - something's gotta give (feat. mary j. blige)
the roots - master of war (live)
(more words from our sponsor...)
kam moye, probz, royce da 5'9" - change
nas - black president (feat. johnny polygon)
common - the people (feat. dwele)
kidz in the hall - work to do (obama for america)
(outro from our sponsor...)

~~Daily~~ ~~Monthly~~ ~~Bi-monthly~~ Twice-annual updates doth not make the popular blahg. But, hey, I've been doing my part for the team:

Wax Poetics #30, "Back in Black" (interview with VC Veasey of Black Merda).

Made a decent splash on DIGG with my Detox "prequel" piece (also did similar pieces on Q-Tip's The Renaissance and Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II).

Several nice weddings for several nice couples.

Donated the aforementioned mix for my friend's Obama fundraiser (which you should not feel shy about supporting).

Landed a gig DJ'g Park Slope's best cat-themed, bloodbath of a monthly dance party aptly named "Cheryl." Hope to see you every third Thursday at Royale.

And wrote some other stuff that I've lost track of.

And the wild part? There's still more to come:

* Another installment of my Call & Response column for PopMatters about Obama and the myth of the hip-hop Achilles Heel (should post the week of October 27);
* Playing the role of "Music is included" at MoMA's Free Teen Nights on October 31;
* And DJ'g an upcoming PopRally event.

PS - Have you registered yet?

Can We Kick It?

2008-06-06T23:38:00.002-04:00

clickety clack (from clared23's flickr)

Marvin Gaye - "You're the Man (Parts 1 & 2)" (mp3)
(Purchase here)

Yes, we can can.

Been a long time, but here's a shotta for now.

Hot Fuzzy Navel

2007-06-06T08:05:00.000-04:00

Ordinary night

Ray Barretto - "Teacher of Love" (mp3)
(Purchase here)

Los Lobos - "Cielito Lindo" (mp3)
(Purchase here)

Arsenio Rodríguez - "Linda Cubana"(mp3)
(From Arsenio Rodriguez Y Su Conjunto's Recuerdos De Arsenio)

Happy June. Even though here in NYC it looks/feels more like April, with a splash of mug for proper shweats. So, even if this is just a note on the run, here's a snifter from the reactivated Fania Records to welcome back Mr. Sunshine. Keeping with the times, the label has initiated a new DJ mix series called Fania Live to spread the word on nuyorican soul. DJ Rumor helms the first installment with a trademark blend of the required, breaks, and more. The Barretto cut above is a burner, but it's only a snippet -- hey, it's a mix, but you get the pi'ture. In conjunction with the pending release, Wax Poetics hosts a lurvely party tonight in DUMBO with everybody's favorite Afro-Filipino dude, Joe Bataan.

To round out this round, a quick shot from Los Lobos' debut. "Cielito Lindo" is a mariachi staple, and I had the good fortune of dancing to an especially drunken rendition this past weekend at a wedding in, again, DUMBO.

And, because no warm weather party would be complete sin los cubanos, a little Arsenio to lighten your load.

And if none of this is so much your flavor, try this:

Say Hai to the cello player.

PS - I promise a more thorough post soon...

Here, My Dear

2007-04-25T08:09:00.000-04:00

Keys open doors

sintalentos - lady's firsts (mp3)

Yo-Yo: The I.B.W.C. National Anthem
Queen Latifah: U.N.I.T.Y.
Salt-N-Pepa: Shoop
MC Lyte: Cha Cha Cha
Roxanne with UTFO: Roxanne, Roxanne
Roxanne Shante: Roxanne's Revenge
UTFO with Roxanne Shante: The Real Roxanne
Salt-N-Pepa: Tramp
Sequence: Funk You Up
Erykah Badu w/ Angie Stone: Love of My Life Worldwide
MC Lyte: Paper Thin
Lil' Kim: Queen Bitch
Jean Grae: Hater's Anthem
Rah Digga: What They Call Me
Queen Latifah: Wrath of My Madness (DJ Premier Remix)
Da Brat: Funkdafied
Bahamadia: Uknowhowwedu
Digable Planets: Nickel Bags
Missy Elliott (w/ Mary J. Blige): My Struggles
Lauryn Hill: Doo Wop (That Thing)
Mary J. Blige: Real Love (Hip Hop Mix)
Richy Pitch (f/ Apani B. Fly MC): Day to Day
Eve: Satisfaction
Queen Pen: Party Ain't a Party
Mary J. Blige: Family Affair
Lauryn Hill: Lost Ones
Nas (f/ Lauryn Hill): If I Ruled the World (Instrumental)
Jay-Z (f/ Foxy Brown): Ain't No Nigga
Foxy Brown (f/ Method Man): Ill Na Na
Lil' Kim: The Jump Off
Lady Sovereign: Random
Jacki-O: Sugar Walls
Timbaland (f/ M.I.A.): Come Around
M.I.A.: China Girl (Diplo Mix)
Missy Elliott (f/ Ciara & Fatman Scoop): Lose Control
DJ Ayres: Broke Ass Home
Monie Love: Monie in the Middle
Queen Latifah (f/ Monie Love): Ladies First
MC Lyte: Lyte As a Rock

Hip-hop got took to town(-hall) -- no surprise. Hip-hop replied thoughtfully -- again, no surprise. But let's talk about Zen (and Zirin; I didn't forget about you!) for a moment.

In Chang and Zirin's concise piece/response, they touch on a couple important points in light of the latest anti-hip-hop hysteria: the good, as well as the bad, of hip-hop; and the lack of intergenerational dialog amidst these debates.

The first seems exceedingly obvious as it balances the bad. However, it is also essential for providing a complete picture. So often criticism favors flash-points and treats culture in extremes, black or white, in spite of our so-called po-mo world. The recent Virginia Tech shootings have received a similar treatment; in spite of its gross perversity and sheer horror, it was immediately vilified as another case of the other, an aberration from the American matrix that confirmed our need for anxiety, as opposed to an arguably preventable crash with inadequate intervention.

That last word, intervention, or perhaps better articulated as conversation, is the key to open the next door. Media frequently transmits this as conflict, or a not-so-subtle crossfire, as opposed to a meaningful conversation with tangible affect (besides raising one's arms in the universal I-Win! gesture, or slouching one's head in the proverbial loser's pose). Admittedly, Oprah's townhall format took the appearance of intergenerational/interracial/inter-gender/inter-categorical conversation. Young women from Spelman College, whom we assume to be members of the hip-hop generation, speak about their disaffection, shortly after octogenarian Maya Angelou calls out Rush Rush. Common, that emcee who has bridged the Gap in every sense, admitted complicity. But the show was more show, a spectacular opportunity to point and scapegoat more than an actual consideration of shared complicity in creating culture. C'mon, Oprah of all people -- a Black woman who has struggled against immense odds to achieve the success she has attained -- should know the greater power of the check-signer over the check-recipient; and I know she's had a chat with Chris before. Pardon me, John, but perhaps the saying should have been, "Ask not just what your culture can do for you, but also ask what you can do for your..." But do you hear me 'doe?

Obviously, this is a much larger topic, so I'll be covering some aspects here, some aspects at Popmatters, and others elsewhere. In the meantime, here's a blend to stew on (pardon the roughness; this was a first take with almost no prep), especially for my ladies: here, my dear.

PS - Title explanation. First verses from songs by or featuring ladies. Not the first verse they wrote or recorded, just the first verse from the song itself... fudged on occasion, of course.

PPS - Dig my new old friend, Lily Kane (no relation to Danity, thankfully). By the way, I know I missed Women's History Month, but, really, I am looking into the sore lack of female representation on my blahg-roll...

Ladies of the Night

2007-03-13T13:41:00.000-04:00

He loves it when you call him Big Poppa

Amy Winehouse - "He Can Only Hold Her" (mp3)
(Purchase here)

Rachel Sweet - "B.A.B.Y."
(Purchase here)

The Crystals - "He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss)"
(Purchase here)

The Shangri-Las - "I Can Never Go Home Anymore"
(Purchase here)

I concede: if I posted with a bit more frequency these last couple months, I wouldn't have these long posts with several ideas that could be broken into three or four smaller posts. But, once again, I've had to divide my attention. Hate me now.

I'm going to see Amy Winehouse tonight. Miss T has made such a big deal of it that I almost feel self-conscious for going, as if the blahgerati hype didn't already nauseate me. That said, listening to her second album Back to Black, which was released in the States today, I've been thinking about blue-eyed (i.e., "white") soul, girl groups, the Lolita phenomenon, and Women's History Month. Don't worry, I'll take 'em one step at a time:

Amy: Both the old guard and the kids are lathering themselves for the ~~second~~ coming of ~~Macy~~ Milky Gray. But the hype is yesterday's news. And unfair to Winehouse, who has an abundance of musical gifts (like the afore-linked ladies) that deserve consideration beyond marketing's myopic race politics. Sure, Winehouse has the same gift/curse as the afore-linked ladies by being exceptionally talented, but unpolished; this weakness made her jazz-inflected debut Frank unravel at points. However, this time around the songs are simpler. Deliberately hearkening '60s/'70s rock'n soul, she places less melismatic stress on her voice and sounds more at ease.

Topically, the songs are still those of a 20-something's: overly dense and obsessively self-conscious. In this sense, the record remains true to its prime reference point: girl groups. Hardly a stretch of the imagination, when the lead singles interpolate "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and blare thick horns over church bells. However, the songwriting and arrangement connection is surface-level in comparison to the juvenile hell Winehouse trods. Singing of bad boys in "rolled up sleeves and skull t-shirts," her drama is hardly on the level of Mary J's. But her recent discovery of the evil-that-Greek-do makes "You Know I'm No Good" perfect wah-wah NYU/East Village pseudo-boho girl goo -- please think twice about that next tat, child!

However, the throwback angle is not entirely true as Winehouse's persona is thoroughly modern and more maxi than mini. "Rehab" defies with a swagger Jagger ain't felt since falling into the arms of Ziggy and Pop. "Nothing you can teach / that I can't learn from Mr. Hathaway"? Hot damn! She even comes close to being the "m" word on "He Can Only Hold Her" (I'll cover the John Legend/Jimi/"She's a Fox Now" angle another time), which is like a grown version of "Don't Take It Personal." So, defiant attitude and guarded intimacy: hardly the qualities we think of when listening to the Ronettes, Shangri-Las, et. al.

A better example of a strut down nostalgia street is Rachel Sweet's debut Fool Around, which has been reissued by the reactivated Stiff Records. Then 16-years old and packing a Ronettes-ish voice, Sweet shouted and cooed her way through a bizarrely eclectic record of proto-new wave and country-inflected ballads. The Hayes/Porter classic "B-A-B-Y" is one of the record's more accessible moments, but a good example of Sweet's adolescent sexuality being placed on a pedestal, all in the name of a girlie throwback. And what better way to get folks to buy a record of some random shit that to take the girl outta Akron and plant her in the familiar embrace of Stax. I cracked on man-boy the other day, but it ain't no joke that man-girl love has been in full effect since the drop.

Which makes me think something has been lost in generational translation. Not all the girl groups/performers of the '50s were singing Donna Reeds. The Crystals delivered the ultimate smackdown with "He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss)," one of the most hardbody songs of the '60s (and it dropped before your favorite Fortune 500 teenager grew his hair long or burned bra) (and it was co-written by Carol "I Feel the Earth Move" King," no less). Written in response to the abuse of singer Little Eva at the hands of her boyfriend, King and co-writer Gerry Goffin document the Stockholm Syndrome-reminiscent condition of normalized abuse. Thug love, if I've ever heard of it. And this version uses bells and violins. Even 2Pac couldn't get with that.

Then again, there are also girl groups that fit the bill to a tee. The Shangri-Las' "I Can Never Go Home Anymore" may not be as well recognized as their hit "Leader of the Pack," but the song's use of spoken monologues on teen Serkian dray-ma is so sudsy, I'd have to call it, "Rad." By the way, Mary Weiss, surviving member and former lead singer of the Shangri-Las, also returned back in black, hopped up on throwback rock'n soul and L-U-V. Her record follows the Ronnie Spector outing from a while back, sans her prior kitsch appeal.

Moral of the Story: Dudes are always fascinated with girls and trying to tell them what to do. Will Winehouse live up to her tuffness and stick it to the men? We'll see tonight.

Shame, Shame, Shame

2007-03-02T10:23:00.000-05:00

Shame on the fools

Wu-Tang Clan - "Shame on a [BANNED IN NEW YORK]" (mp3)
(Purchase here)

Syl Johnson - "Different Strokes" (mp3)
(Purchase here)

Thelonious Monk - "Black & Tan Fantasy" (mp3)
(Purchase here)

Apparently, somebody felt the spirit of Black History Month 2007 and went Mr. Smith. Now, the NYC streets need to watch its mouth ~ lest the speech police wash it out?

Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, a "God" (or, a 22-year old with "high-functioning autism") scrawls a hate-filled screed and the world (well, the Asian one) delivers a prompt, "Ho, Sit Down!"

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to social discourse in the 21st century.

Most of my grief and disgust with the latter topic has already been expressed, principally in Oliver's terrific posts and Jeff's will-someone-hurry-up-and-please-can-this-entire-rag? observation. To wit, the kid is: a) a kid; b) a kid who can't write; c) a kid who evidently ignored his momma's lesson that first doesn't mean best, especially in the field of sci-fi writing; d) a kid with painfully obvious issues; and e) a kid being taken advantage of by the true culprits, the editors at Asian Week. I would try to use Eng's jibberjabber as a jump-off for a discussion on Afro-Asian relations, but a) Eng is talkin' jibberjabber; and b) Oli, again, already pointed the way to better ones.

As for the first topic, I suppose I feel grief and disgust, but in a different sense. The response is more out of frustration that this is how "the ball gets rolling" -- duct-taping a person into compliance, or sweeping a matter under the rug. "You can't propagate it because it's in the books!" But, as Chris Rock said to a Reuters reporter in response to the news, "Do judges say, '10 years, nigger!'" In both instances, I am saddened that racial discourse has been reduced to unstable outbursts and jerrymandered debates.

Which leads me to ask, what is wrong with disagreement or dischord in life? Family is the first group identity we form and we all know the fallouts and shitfits that can ensue therein. So, what the fuss when it happens outside of the family, as well? Different strokes, indeed. Takes a conquerer mentality to control every situation and bend others' will to your... oh, I see the parallel.

***

Once upon a time, a Duke and his royal party came upon an intersection of two roads, each signified by a different color. The party became confused, as no one knew which path would take them safely on their journey and which would lead them astray. The Duke, astute as he was, noticed the similar colors of each path: one dark, and the other a few drops lighter. Halting his party's chatter, he calmly shared his discovery. His party nodded their heads in understanding and approval and followed the mighty duke, as they carved a new path.

My Buddy, Rich

2007-03-01T15:23:00.000-05:00

Pre flyin' off the handle

Mick Boogie and Rich Boy - The Premix (Download here, here, or here)

I spoke with duke last week for an interview which posted over at Prefix. While "Throw Some D's" is that mysterious itch of the moment, Rich was surprisingly articulate (though I still can't uckf with a 'bama accent), humble, and... pleasant. In truth, I haven't heard anything else of his that has really grabbed me, but he spoke about some collaborations and song topics that peaked my interest in his upcoming self-titled debut. One such cut, "Role Models," is a collabo with David Banner that is included in the above Mick Boogie 'promo' tape (ah, isn't that what mixtapes always were?). Haven't given this a listen yet, but what do y'all think? Any future beyond "D's"?

Momma, I'm So Sorry

2007-02-28T12:45:00.000-05:00

Not just a trademarked segment of Le Show

The Easybeats - "Sorry"
(Purchase here)

YZ - "Thinking of a Master Plan"
(Purchase here)

Whoa. Reparations, I've heard of. Disambiguation, related but hardly the same ballgame. And though there is precedent for basic apologies, there are still enough unresolved ones to make Virginia's apology for its role in slavery notable. The public acknowledgment that government-sanctioned slavery "ranks as the most horrendous of all depredations of human rights and violations of our founding ideals in our nation's history" is remarkable not so much as a resolution, but as a progression in the conversation about this country's history and present ramifications.

As the resolution notes, "the abolition of slavery was followed by systematic discrimination, enforced segregation, and other insidious institutions and practices toward Americans of African descent that were rooted in racism, racial bias, and racial misunderstanding." Don't get it twisted, as the present is hardly peaches'n cream. Biochemical Slang pointed out this recent poll on American attitudes toward Black History month (unsurprisingly, most every non-Black person found the month to be a token gesture as opposed to raising awareness; although, in fairness, those two options seem rather vague, in spite of the bluntness), suggesting that we need a lil' more to keep the conversation on race rolling.

So, you ask, what did I do this past weekend?

A couple documentaries have been on my mind: Byron Hurt's Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes and Raquel Cepeda's Bling'd: Blood, Diamonds and Hip Hop. I'll save the full spiel as I go into greater detail in my upcoming Popmatters column. However, I'll say this: kinda meh on both efforts, but happy they're out there, token or not, to keep the convo going. And, most important, both make clear that hip hop/blackness is not the boogieman; the blood of commerce and social ills is on all of our hands.

So, as another Black History Month passes, I am thinking of a master plan for everybody, not just my brothers and sisters, man.

Last Night a Design Saved My Life

2007-02-27T09:55:00.000-05:00

This ish be Thisish

Thisish sampler (streaming audio)
(Purchase here

It's been a while, since I've just blahgged, so here's a quick shot about the au courant isht.

A couple weeks ago, an LP-sized box with a familiar tank logo found its way into my mailbox. Enclosed was, simply, a CD (I know, lots of space to breathe) in a baroquely adorned digi-pack design. I took a moment to consider the matching magenta-yellow camo-style designs on both the box and CD before popping the CD in and reading the press release. Hey, they got me.

The folks at Thisish, at the risk of redundancy by quoting myself, can be described as a "lifestyle company." They deal in fields tied together through entertainment, especially (but not exclusive to) design, apparel, music, and special events. In other words, they're probably like (a lot of) you and I: they "wear many hats"/"multi-task"/do a lot of shit.

I suppose most of my peers are in this situation out of necessity. After all, not-for-profit lives up to its namesake by being a thoroughly unpaid field -- of course, there are always exceptions to the rule -- that encourages many to, uh, explore other job options.

I would hardly call the situation sour grapes, though. Just as the record industry merged into the present day Big Five, product and service companies across the globe are finding collaboration/mergers and cross-marketing to be quite lucrative. Therefore, a broader skill/experience set opens opportunities in the current job market.

So, don't call it grinding for grinding's sake: Thisish has pulled together a cohesive, marketable package. On the macro level, they want to expand into the music market. On the nuts and bolts micro level, they spruced up a comp with unknown producers to get the word out.

Which, I know, belated newsflash: is the industry's new thing. To review:

Consistent (tank) and current (baroque) design for branding purposes? Check.
Limited edition bells and whistles (collectible box) to maintain post-shelf-life buzz and create collector's appeal? Check.
Established artist co-sign and hosting of compilation (Large Professor) to boost credibility? Check.

Looks like Thisish is about to set up shop and drop its next degree.

I'll be back tomorrow with some semi-soft cheese and semi-formed thoughts. Gotta get the most out of Black History Month 2007's waning hours...

Ashy Wednesday

2007-02-21T22:25:00.000-05:00

Courtesy Talya D.

Jane's Addiction - "Mountain Song" (mp3)
(Purchase here)

Beastie Boys - "A Year and A Day" (mp3)
(Peep Oh Word's fantastic recap of my favorite MCA track; purchase here)

Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions - "Keep On Pushing"
(Purchase here)

"The sustainability of social change movements... is not a function of personalities; it's a function of process and organization. And when we understand that, that is when we will really begin to put our house in order."
~ Bruce Gordon, State of Black America 2007 (via Notes, via Prometheus6)

Coming down the mountain, one of eight children, I found myself reconsidering opinions, cashing out, and tuning in. See, this President's Day weekend I traded two Jacksons (thanks again, bee) for minus 13 degrees and a break from the rat race. See what a little subzero weather and reduction of priorities to basic necessities can do for the soul? And Clemens had the gall to call Annie Sullivan a "miracle worker" ~ just give me the freeze...

While driving back to thoughts of a Swedish massage shower, I put it together with a fellow hiker: the multiplicity of identity, the length of the average modern resume, and the unimportance of ego. Case in point? Urban Word, an organization that may actually be about its constituency: the keeeds. By enabling, coordinating, and promoting the teenager's creative process, the organization takes direction from its own students. In order to have a future, the group recognizes it must be mutable and know when to let go.

Granted, UW is a small organization experiencing growing pains and adjusting accordingly. In other words, its size almost permits flexibility. So, imagine my exhilaration to return home and watch Bruce Gordon, President and CEO of NAACP since August 2005, articulate the same thought at the State of Black America conference. As Prometheus6 says, regardless of one's opinions of the man or his organization, you can't step to what he's saying:

Friends, this is real talk that applies to all of us. Awareness of action. Release of the self/ego. Consciousness of being. The danger of the Fuck You, Pay Me ethos is, well, you're telling someone to shut the eff up and pay you. Compensation trumping conversation. No conversation means no relationship. And without relationships, how are we to build that coalition to save our funky azzes? Fortunately, this paradigm is available to all from the top to the bottom. So even when George and Trent stray from the path to the promise land, that doesn't mean we have to sulk and gasface. People get ready, there's a meeting out yonder...

A couple shouts for the weekend:

The First M.E.E. (Media Expression Education) Festival runs from February 23 (tomorrow) to February 25. Lots of performance, including the annual slam at BAM on Saturday February 24, run by the aforementioned Urban Word folks. Also loads of workshops and panels, including "When the Gun Draws: Addressing the Epidemic of Gun Violence and the Propaganda Behind It." Simon says, "Attend!" because Pharaohe Monch will be on the panel (and dude has something to say on the topic):

Brooklyn Community Arts & Media High School (BCAM) Auditorium
70 Tompkins Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11206
Friday, February 23
2-3:30pm
The Fourth Annual NYC Grassroots Media Conference:
Media and Movements Beyond Borders is poppin' on Saturday, February 24 over at the New School. Of note, "BGirls, Battles, & Breakin' Barriers: Young Women's Hip Hop Activism in Brazil and Beyond" is a session being co-led by Leah King from 10-11:30am that will melt your face. For full schedule, peep at the jump.

You Send Me

2007-02-14T08:33:00.000-05:00

Do you get what he's sayin'??

sintalentos - lovely ~~day~~ daze (mp3)

Wilson Pickett - I'm in Love
Lou Rawls - You’ve Made Me So Very Happy
Staple Singers - I'll Take You There
Joe & Ann - Gee Baby
Ray Charles - It Should've Been Me
Brenton Wood - Gimme Little Sign
Dennis Brown - Things In Life
Cornell Campbell - Ten To One
Bill Withers - Ain't No Sunshine
Donny Hathaway - What A Woman Really Means
The Muscle Shoals Horns - Addicted To Your Love
Greg Perry - Love Is Magic (this and the Muscle Shoals were swagger jacked from Matt Africa and B.Cause. cop that Soul Boulders magic here (scroll to the bottom), if you haven't already)
Lauryn Hill - Tell Him
Al Green - I'm Glad You're Mine
~~Linda Lyndell - What A Man~~ [Ed. - you'd think I'd know what's on my own blend, eh?]

happy day, tricks.

Peace to the Gods

2007-02-01T09:19:00.000-05:00

Do you get what I'm sayin'?

sintalentos - dumbo drop (mp3)

The Headhunters - God Make Me Funky
El Michels Affair - C.R.E.A.M.
Donald Byrd - Wind Parade
Armando Trovajoli - Sessomatto
Juice - Catch a Groove
Fatback Band - Do the Busstop
Roy Ayers - Runnin' Away
A Tribe Called Quest - Go Ahead in the Rain
EPMD - Time 2 Party
Stevie Wonder - All I Do

So much for my idea of a week of man-boy love.

First, a belated new year greeting. Once again, I've been busy. Sure, it seems paltry. But '07 is about to get hectic...

Returning to that apparent NAMBLA WMD dropped upstairs, I wanted to spend the week exploring man love. Not this sort. Nor that sort. But, to use the parlance of my day, the spirit of giving daps. The art of showing your propers. 'Nuff respect, dig?

Be it because of (sub-)conscious homophobia or unchecked aggression, man love rarely gets any recognition itself. Which is ironic, or backhandedly hypocritical, considering that one of the recognized promoters of the high five, that iconic and appropriated gesture of exchanging greetings or respect, was Glenn Burke, an openly homosexual pro baseball player (and yet another reason why I will find it difficult to hold the Lost Angels Dodgers in any regard). Also a shame, considering the restrictions it places on male expressions of emotion: it's either a passive acknowledgment of another's existence ('sup) or brokeback (nullus).

I'll explore male exchanges of daps in hip hop for an upcoming Call & Response feature. For now, I will keep the chatter abbreviated and just let loose some random, mental loogies.

* * *

I want to kick this theme off with a blahg roll of sorts, because it's been a while since I've shown propers to my peers:

Joyce: Or should I say Moyce? Joyce Quitasol opened a lovely bakeshop in the heart of Prospect Heights late last summer (with the help of her photographer husband Mo Chin), but hasn't slowed a bit since. Though I loved her baking from the drop, she has continued to surprise and impress with new tricks, like chocolate cupcakes with mint frosting or cranberry bread pudding. And, because she's so gangster, she even started baking bread for the weekend crowd; brioche never melted in my mouth like that (hint: it also holds up well even after a week in the fridge). The big kids have already shone some press, but do yourself a favor and show some love. Stop by and EAT.
Internets Celebrities: It seems like DP is the frequent recipient of my mighty five (no Jacko), but a solid congratulations to Rafi and him for going Hollywood Jones at Sundance. Chea, indeed!
Essential Tridentials: Although this is my boy's boy's blend, it features a couple of my boy's tracks... including a killer B'more Bowie mix that melts my face. Feed Me Bass is running this mix shit.
O Archduke's "O Archduke (Campeão do Bundão)": Sure, Brasil is the latest third world heartthrob and baile funk the latest love child of world music and 4080, but Louis Katz introduced me to a beautiful culture. And he has a sense of humor about it. Keep your eyes peeled on Comedy Central this year...
Leukemia Research/Awareness/Cure: The other day, I watched New York Doll, the documentary about the late New York Dolls bassist Arthur "Killer" Kane and his conversion to Mormonism and band reunion. I was struck by the man's calm and peace, even though he passed away from leukemia shortly after the Dolls' reunion show in the UK. Grace under pressure (though he did not know he was ill until a couple hours before his death), indeed. According to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's webpage, "the relative five-year survival rate has more than tripled in the past 46 years for patients with leukemia." That said, "an estimated 35,070 new cases of leukemia will be diagnosed in the United States in 2006." If you'd like to learn more or help support the organization's efforts to research, educate, and cure, a friend is co-hosting a worthy event tonight:

"Aileen Castro and Glenna Palley will be hosting; 'If You Think You Can Run It' a Silent Auction to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The event will take place on Thursday February 1st at Maker¹s in New York City, 3rd Avenue and E. 29th Street from 7-10pm. Music provided by DJ Tony Rico.

"Admission is free! 100% of the proceeds from the silent auction go to LLS. We will be accepting cash, checks & credit cards."
You: Lastly, I want to thank the small circle of friends out there in the innernets and beyond. I'd promise to make a more concerted effort to stay on top of my blahging, but I'd be letting loose my M.U.M. Kidding. You'll hear plenny from me this year. Enjoy the quick mix above, just some fun ol' beats from the boys making noise in my head.

Bad(dest) Santa

2006-12-25T06:47:00.000-05:00

Papa's got a whole new thing

Sly & The Family Stone - "Let Me Hear It From You" (mp3)
(Purchase here)

Sly & The Family Stone - "What Would I Do" (mp3)
(Purchase here)

Admittedly, I've been going black ops these days. No good reason, aside from being plain indulgent with my time. Don't worry: there'll be a whole lotta riotin' goin' on 'round these parts in '07. See, Sony/Legacy is finally giving one of my favorite bands the reissue treatment: Sly & The Family Stone. I'll save my Sly whoo hah for the trick(s) up my sleeve, so I'll spread some holiday cheer instead and jump back to give back.

For many years, friends and acquaintances have praised my mind for music. In truth, it is simply an aggregator of my friends' (and heroes') sophisticated tastes. They gifted me with new sounds, like the Maack who let me in on his hoes's secrets by methodically sharing them. Others introduced new ways to hear sounds. For example, I Don't Karen and I belatedly -- when, our graduation day? -- discovered a mutual love of Redd Kross. Really, if I want to stick with the holiday spirit, I should holler at each of my peoples and say something nice like, "Thanks!" or send them a Hallmark card. But I'm not Christian (nor a card carrying capitalist), so I'll dedicate a blog post to one: Louis.

I actually introduced Sly & The Family Stone's debut A Whole New Thing to Louis some time in college. For reasons unknownst to me, he dug it more than I. Frankly, I kept it because I identified myself as a junior collector and wanted to maintain the completeness of my budding Sly collection. When it came to music, I used to measure a record's quality by its speed; hence, Bad Brains, Black Flag, Surfer Rosa were in rotation at the time. According to this rubric, there were only a couple joints on A Whole New Thing that I liked. Louis, on the other hand, had already developed an ear for songwriting, craft, and plain ol' performance. Close to fifteen years after first purchasing this album, I'm finally beginning to hear what Louis was talking about and what the title really means.

A Whole New Thing is a suitable introduction to the band's pre-pomo pomo-ness. Their's was a whole new take on tradition -- doo wop, rhythm and blues, 'soul' and folk -- rolled into a savvy, witty and funny amusement park/gallery trip. And it wrote itself into Rickey Vincent's Funk. Every aspiring musician/band with half a mind to fuse x-influence with y-experience should listen to this blueprint from 1967 to get an idea of how to make a mess sound so beautiful. It's all here: the sample faq nugget ("Advice"), the acid trip Zappa couldn't muster ("Trip to Your Heart"), the frattish sunshine ("Run, Run, Run") and even the timely mixtape staple (the previously unreleased "Only One Way Outta This Mess").

Two of the more "traditional" cuts seemed appropriate for today. The Larry Graham-led slice o' heaven "Let Me Hear It from You" is a reminder of the genius of Sly & The Family Stone, not just Sly. Gregg Errico lays down a sturdy foundation of echoed snare taps, saving the kicks until the end, while Jerry Martini and Cynthia Robinson's horns lay out a velvet red carpet for Graham's dramatic plea -- a message that swoops, cracks and groans in all the right places, like Vandross and Pendergrass at their best. And don't forget Sly's gentle keys flashing shots from carpet-side all along the way; you can hear the keys clicking patiently like a lonely flashbulb snapping in slow-mo. Sure, you can read more into the cut: it's time to move on, the system's a mess and he's not gonna take it, oh no, he ain't gonna take it. But the song is a pure love ballad, a grown man's hurt on public display and a plea to be released from the shackles of love.

"What Would I Do" is the apparent aftermath of "Let Me Hear It From You." From its opening strains of gospel-fried Georgia On My Mind riffage and minor Jingle Bells thing, the sound and form is familiar. However, like Pryor's demonstration of how a a woman can break a man's cool down to hilarious histrionics, Sly & co. supersaturate this post-breakup ponderance with a gravity and nostalgia both apt and fresh for the season.

So, 'tis the season to whole new things and whole new aural visions with a little help from the friends. All praises due.

By the way, all the reissues have new liners, production and bonus tracks. The new A Whole New Thing includes the mono single version of "Let Me Hear It From You," which you can cop when the 'bum drops on 20 March 2007.