Mick Boogie and Terry Urban bring you this new mixtape, featuring a shitload of hip-hop artists reinterpreting classic De La Soul tracks. That’s the key to this mixtape – these are not covers, these are re-thinkings of classic songs. The tracklist:
1. Intro: Senor Kaos, Von Pea and Homeboy Sandman (produced by Dave West)
2. Me Myself and I: Kardinal Offishall (produced by Diabolic)
3. Pease Porridge: Phife Dawg (produced by Dj Rasta Root)
4. Breakdawn: Tanya Morgan (produced by 6th Sense)
5. Oooh: Fly Union (produced by Fly Union)
6. Baby Phat: Skillz & Colin Monroe (produced by nVMe)
7. Stakes Is High part 1: U-N-I (produced by 6th Sense)
8. Say No Go: Chaundon, Esso + The Kickdrums (produced by The Kickdrums)
9. Rock Co Kane Flow: Shawn Christopher & Pheo (produced by Garbs)
10. Ego Trippin: Asheru (produced by The Els)
11 Ooodles of O’s: Camp Lo (produced by Apple Juice Kid)
12. Sunshine: Christian Rich + Curtains (produced by Christian Rich)
13. Plug Tunin’: Tabi Bonney + Stalley (produced by Judah)
14. Hey Love: Chip Tha Ripper (produced by Remot)
15. The Bizness: Big Pooh, Butta Verses, and 6th Sense (produced by 6th Sense)
16. I Am I Be: 6th Sense (produced by Hasan Insane)
17. Eye Know: Daytona & Mike Maven (produced by 6th Sense)
18. Saturdays: Niko Villamor, Brittany Street & Kidd Neer (produced by SMKA)
19. Watch Out: J.Sands (produced by J. Rawls)
20. Stakes Is High part 2: Talib Kweli (produced by eJones)
Tell me this does not sound like something off of ‘93 ‘Til Infinity. Seriously, tell me. “Proper Aim,” a track off of Souls‘ forthcoming album, Montezuma’s Revenge, produced by Mr. Prince Paul. Listen here.
Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band has a new EP, An Eskimo Christmas, which will be for sale at the band’s Seattle show on 12/18 (visit Tour Support for the all the tour dates). Before you buy your plane tickets to the NW, listen to “Anchors Dropped” here.
Run-DMC’sJam Master Jay was murdered in his studio in 2002, and the crime remains unsolved. This new film, due out on DVD 12/1, attempts to shed some light on what really happened. Another Kennedy-Tupac-Jimmy Hoffa conspiracy in the making? Perhaps…
Vice will release Iraqi metal band Acrassicauda’s new EP, Only The Dead See The End Of The War, in March, and you can preview a song, “Garden of Stones,” here. Honestly, the most interesting thing about the song is that it’s from an Iraqi metal band. If this was just a bunch of heshers from Ohio, no one would be paying attention.
Let’s be honest, Doom’s latest, Unexpected Guests, is disappointing. No more collections of previously released music, please. Read my review here or below.
The good old days:
Let’s be honest, Doom (nee MF Doom, King Gheedorah, Viktor Vaughn, etc.) hasn’t really released a good album since 2004’s Mmm… Food. And yet, somehow, his obsessive fans (this writer included) keep hoping for a great new record, one that doesn’t recycle past songs, one that reaches the level of Madvillainy or Take Me to Your Leader or even Operation: Doomsday. Instead, we get Unexpected Guests.
You see, if you are a devoted fan of Daniel Dumile, you have already heard every one of these tracks on a different (and better) album. De La Soul collaboration, “Rock Co. Kane Flow,” from The Grind Date? Check. Kurious collaboration, “?”, from Doomsday? Sure. Vast Aire collabo, “Da Supafriendz,” from Look Mom, No Hands? Why not? And the list goes on and on. This is great for the uninitiated, although these songs are definitely not his best (even though the album was “executed and overseen by the Super Villain himself,” but kind of boring for his super-fans.
Sadly, this will have to do until Doom gets his shit together, and the new Madvillain album and his forthcoming solo record (on which he’s working with TV on the Radio’s David Sitek) see the light of day. But beware, Doom. As beloved as you are, you are wearing your fans’ patience thin and stretching your mantle of prolificacy. Next time, please give us some quality new shit.
I recently reviewed Glass Ghost’s latest, Idol Omen. Read it here or below.
Glass Ghost’s Antony-like falsetto vocals flit about above a bed of sparingly struck hip-hop drums and electronic bleeps and bubbles. These are the perfect ingredients for a Brooklyn band looking to make an impact in the world – a mixture of deconstructed indie rock with subtle hints of “urban” elements like rap and techno.
Of course, Glass Ghost is all and none of these things, comfortably lounging in the Xiu Xiu-dominated world of experimental art rock one minute, joyously crafting a poppy hook the next. The duo’s debut album lifts off with the orchestral, theatrical “Time Saving Trick,” but gets more percussive and minimal from there. Waves of delicately constructed melodies are constantly tricked and transferred by Eliot Krimsky’s spectral vocals and Mike Johnson’s precisely heavy hand. There’s no bark here, no bite, but the music is intrigues all the same.
The two-man/woman band has found a new life over the past few years. And we’re not talking about the White Stripes; we’re looking at bands like Fiery Furnaces or No Age. Sometimes, streamlining the participants can lead to great artistry. It’s not clear if Glass Ghost yet falls into that lofty categorization, but they are certainly onto something here.
Norwegian electro-pop star Annie has a new album out this week. Eh. Read why here or below.
Annie’s new effort, Don’t Stop, is an album that you might want to like more than you actually do. The Norwegian songstress became something of an indie-electro-pop sensation [and semi-official Pitchfork pet rock - Ed.] on the strength of her debut, Anniemal, a charmer built upon hooky production filled with recognizable nods to the ‘80s. Don’t Stop, while employing a few nifty bells and whistles (like Franz Ferdinand’s Alex Kapranos playing guitar on the track “My Love is Better”), suffers from a lack of energy and innovation.
Annie’s hushed vocals sound best over a bouncing beat, as they lack the strength to shine on their own. That wasn’t a problem in the past on songs like “Heartbeat” and “Chewing Gum,” but tracks like the guitar-driven “Bad Times” don’t do her justice, fading into the nebulous ether of mediocre pop. The title track, on the other hand, is a perky bubble-tech vision of dance-floor bliss, Annie singing down a chromatic scale about kisses before hitting it off with a catchy chorus. “I Don’t Like Your Band” is another success, based on the strength of Paul Epworth-produced electro beat.
There are more introspective moments peppered throughout, such as “Marie Cherie,” a softly focused track that, according to the press release, is about an abused girl who commits suicide. Serious subject matter aside, these subdued interludes don’t hold a candle to the percussive tech-house of a track like “Songs Remind Me of You.” But again, you have to give credit where credit is due – it’s the production that elevates Annie’s relatively weak vocals. But hey, if Madonna could do it, why can’t Annie?
