The End of Another Year!

Yes indeed, 2008 is mere hours away. 2007 was a real mixed bag for me, so hopefully 2008 is an unabashed success. I'm sorry that things were slow on the posting front around here this year. Hopefully I can turn that around in 08, especially since I still need to compete with the Joneses. 173 is a helluva thing Andy, good job! Despite (and maybe because of) quietness here, I did manage to write up my favorite albums of 2007 for ol' DW here. I think it's a pretty good list, so hopefully others find some new (well, aging new) shit to listen to. That's all I got. Happy 2008! See you soon!

It's A Christmas Miracle!

Look at all the cash you have saved by visiting this blog!

Merry Christmas! I have emerged victorious (unlike my Brownies) from my 28th birthday and a Yuletide illness to blog on Jesus' (and Rickey Henderson's) birthday! Well shit, Christmas dinner is being prepared and they need MY help! So, instead of being a greedy internetter, I better tend to Holiday Happiness at hand. Merry Christmas, the blog's not dead, see you soon!

Alright, Williams...

Despite your FALSE claims that I hate Christmas and Jesus, we're still cool (well fuck, you commented on my blog, you're on the list of my two favorite people). I'm even mulling over your H(oliday)MM invite on my birthday eve. Let's face it, Bro Ho Ho (while fun) was not the same without you. So, I present a little trip down memory lane to about 10 years ago (jacked from a REAL "trip down memory lane" email forwarded by my dad, only useful thing to come out of his forwards ever), NOW WITH GRAPHICS!!!

I never remember what this actually was, just our two-man nickname from Mr. Fawcett. Ah, those were the days.

NOW FOR SERIOUS IMPORTANT BUSINESS
ROFL. What's up? Don't worry, despite my recent lack of DW writins, I am still producing a 2007 Best Of list (and other projects are in the works!). You can peruse the early-bird entries from my boss Rob Duffy here and from Population: Doug's own Doug Elliott here. I have no idea what records these gents are talking about, but I'm sure they're great.

Did somebody say JENT?!?

Ha. Anyhoo, it's another year where my year-end review is complicated by important-ish hip-hop releases (and no, Lupe, not gonna wait for yours, sorry). So I'm trying to make heads or tails of a bunch of records that I should have listened to months ago and hope to emerge at (OR BEFORE) the end of the year with a list I can stand behind. That'll be the day. Of course, my sturdy and reliable home internet access is currently neither, so that could complicate matters. It has also stopped me from a great deal of e-reading and downloading (I see you, RIAA!), so there's probably other good shit dropping right now that I do not have enough time to review. Best-of lists should be posted in March or something, nawmean?

RIP Ike Turner, 1931-2007

Full story here. It's sad that his (rightfully deserved) bad reputation will sully the public's view of his death, as he did give the world a bounty of groundbreaking music.

Sorry to end on a downer. Thanks for reading!

Friday Funtime!

All this talk of counting blog posts reminds me that I at least need my November count up to a mighty 3 posts!!! So, here are two rap items worthy of your time:

J Dilla & Busta Rhymes!

Cleveland's own Mick Boogie has graced the internet with a free mixtape (in a long line of free mixtapes) of exclusive unreleased Busta Rhymes tracks over J Dilla beats! The downloading fervor has died down in the few days it's been out, so you should be able to visit mickboogie.com and check the jams. No, I haven't listened to it yet, but soon!

Snoop-Pain laying it down!

Mega-ROFL. This came on the real tube Wednesday night and Andy and I were NOT prepared!

Sorry this is short. If you're diggin this shit, let me know, huh? It's been quite quiet 'round these parts. Holler!

We Keeps It Hood!

Yeah, so fuck DJ Khaled. Is he even a DJ? Not sure. Anyway, I'm sure you're pleased to see me back with the quickness. Not as quick as the recently e-revived Davekwon, who has already written 85 blogs this week and it's only Wednesday! Nor as quick as Andy, who is slaving away under not-so-ideal conditions. But you can't stop the bumrush, word to Len. My art show gig went well, props to Ashley (Brook) for her fine art and somehow making art into a party! Shouts also go to Ashley (Wassmuth) for leaving in style, hopefully we see her again soon. Thanksgiving is so close that I can almost taste it. Before that, however, there is the aforementioned 1-year anniversary of So What Wednesdays tonight at Bourbon Street, featuring a DJ set from J. Rawls and a rappin' set from The Catalyst, so that will be dopealope.

Mark Your Calendars!

As I have a FunkDefy! gig on Saturday night, the previously discussed Dirtbombs Thanksgiving Beachland show is a no-go. However, plans are in development for attending the release party for We Have You Surrounded, which will be held February 16th at the Magic Stick in Detroit. I have tentative yesses from Andy, Uncle Adam, and my cousin Nate, so let's do this!

REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEMIXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX!!!!!

As you are well aware, "Little Duffel Bag Boy," while no "Hay," is a tremendous jam worthy of all urban airplay and your undying affection. However, it may have been topped by this, a cover/"NYC Version" by the mighty Joell Ortiz. I can't use this "Novel" dude singing the first verse an' shit, so the crooning is definitely better in the original, but Joell rips it apart (and those Playaz Circle dudes are not exactly lyrical miracles).

Black Kids - Wizard of Ahhhs EP

I don't know what it is about The Black Kids, but these Jacksonvillains have concocted (at least!) four great songs. I think I've overcome my addiction, but it's still day-to-day at this point. Awkwardly funny new wave jams that you could maybe dance to. If you go to their (still in development) website, you can download the whole thing for free, so hop to it!

As always, more to come! Happy Turkey!

Live From Fort Nightly

...where I post like it's my job! Of course, with all the funk-fakin' that's been going on around here lately, I need to pay heed to the important findings of a new scientific study:


So, assuming my existence hasn't been nullified, life is good. I went to Chicago with the homie DJ Ginsu, which was fun. His mysterious gig turned out to be an Ohmega Watts show, so that was rather ballin'. I'm DJing an art show Saturday night, so that should be interesting (and worthy of your attendance). Someday soon I will manage to write some sweet shit for ye olde donewaiting.com, but you might not want to hold your breath.

It has come to my attention that I have been caught unawares by some gaps in my all-encompassing knowledge of the music bubble in which I choose to live. So, I present to you:

Evidence That My Radar Might Be Broken
(or that the boys in research are asleep at the wheel)

1. The Luchagors played the High Five Sunday night!

Yes indeed folks, the revelrous tone of last night's Broin' Down 6: BROvember Rain at Ruby Tuesday was blindsided by a wave of incredulity when a young Mr. Jackson revealed that he had received an inside scoop: Lita (of WWE fame) and her Luchagors were playing in Columbus.......two nights earlier. Weak. The weekly High Five update probably went right into my spam, or I will receive it today, or some other helpful occurrence. Whatever though, because ALL IS NOT LOST!!! The Luchagors will swing back through Ohio in early December and are playing lovely Heath, OH on Monday, December 4th! A 45-minute drive? The night after Hall & Oates? I'm down, ballers! What up?

2. There's a new Rustic Overtones album?!?!?

So yeah, the only worthwhile band that Maine ever issued forth (I'm kidding, though I have no real evidence to the contrary) decided to reunite and record a new album! WITHOUT TELLING ME!!! A week ago, however, when perusing the myspace of one of their offshoots, I found mention of the Rustic Overtones triumphant return and finally scooped Light At The End off of iTunes on Monday night. And you know what? After about 1.3 listens, it's rather durn good! A pretty anti-war song? Check. A reinterpretation of a previous Overtones jam? Check. Horns? Check. Yeah, this WILL (by gum!) see a proper review at your favorite local music writin' post, so keep an eye out! And you know, if you get a hankerin' for a New England road trip to catch some RO action, holla atcha boy!

Well, I guess neither of these items are real tragedies, so maybe the radar is just a little rusty. The boys in research aren't great mechanics, so some outside consultation is likely in order. Have a nice Wednesday and pray that I write more soon.

I HAVE AN ADDENDUM

(this would have been a new post but I can't just leapfrog over the salutations of the Rustic Overtones nation!) Around midnight tonight (Weds into Thurs) at So What Wednesdays, I was about to go home. Then I told Detox about hearing "Hay" by Crucial Conflict in a Chicago bar and he told me that he was getting more requests for it and that he would play it for me. So I stayed ALL NIGHT. To no avail. Blueprint was DJing up a blue streak and held court until the end of the night. So Detox got him to play "Little Duffle Bag Boy" as a substitute. Really? Andy knows I enjoy that song, but it is NOT "Hay!" Disappointment. Next week is the one year anniversary of So What Wednesdays, so if he doesn't play it then, there will be hell toupee! Gotdamn homie! My mind's playing tricks on me.

Grain Belt Beer

The title of this post refers to a song on the new Thes One solo instrumental jumpoff Lifestyle Marketing, where he crafts the commercial jingles of Herb Pilhofer into jammy jams. Good shit, especially the song in question. Also, ROFL with glee at what I found when hunting down Thes-related links:



Happy Halloween! I hope you've enjoyed yours. As all relevant readers of this blog know, I had a bomby Halloween party early in the season (1.5 weeks ago), so I've coasted through the rest of it. Taco John-io! You can read about that party here.

Dayton's Oasis

Davekwon kindly drove Nappy and I to Dayton last night so the three of us could take part in what looks like the end of the weekly hip-hop night at The Oasis. The Oasis sits across from Wright State and is much like a BW3. However, DJ Possum has spent two years building up a hip-hop night and the evidence last night points to his success. Of course, the offer of $3 80 ounce pitchers of beer and 35 cent wings doesn't hurt. Unfortunately, the owner of the bar recently had a stroke and has lost the mental capacity to run the place. The employees kept it open for a few weeks, but eventually ran out of time. The aforementioned deals were unavailable last night (only draft beer was Guinness), but they were selling all bottled beers for $1 each, so that worked. Possum laid down some illness (heavy on Columbus raps and West Coast classics, but when you're dealing with quality, who cares?) and his group The Extraterrestrials, with MC Aboriginal, also performed. Ab was cool on the mic, even if he was a bit nerdy (like I have any room to talk). Near the end of the set, it had reached a late hour, so we decided to jet and unfortunately missed DJ sets by Columbus' DJ Inform and Cincinnati's DJ Rare Groove (Blueprint's tour DJ). Oh well, I'll see those dudes again. It was a good time and hopefully Possum can get something else popping off. Davekwon, our "designated pimp," drove us home and another successful hip-hop venture was in the books.

R.I.P. Robert Goulet, 1933-2007

Full story here. Of course, I'm a big fan of Will Ferrell's SNL portrayals, but the man himself was also the bomb. Those ESPN commercials were sweet. He will be missed.

R.I.P. Stylus Magazine, 2002-2007
Another loss being remembered today is Stylus, a fine music review website which has been part of my daily routine for a few years at this point. I didn't always agree with what they had to say, but they had so much unique content that there was a bounty of new items to read at all times. Since today was their last day, they posted their favorite albums, singles, and movies of the year a bit early, so go check them out.

It's been fun, but I gotta run. I'll leave you with a link to Wes Flexner's post about DJ Pos2's first look into his Columbus hip-hop archives. I'm downloading now, so reviews and (hopefully) links to future Pos2 articles to come. Peace.

Fall Into Action!

So. It's been 27 days since I had an actual post, with ORIGINAL images NEVER SEEN BEFORE (well, never seen before on Andy's blog)!!! I was starting to wonder if it would ever happen again, you know, the writins, but NEWS~! has burst forth today. Wallow in the glow, fallows!

The Dirtbombs Return To Cleveland!

Yes indeed, everyone's favorite live band has decided to schedule one show, resuscitating their Turkey Day weekend jam at the Beachland. They are playing the Tavern (?!?!?) on Saturday, November 24th. I'm assuming tickets will go damn fast in the Tavern, so holla at a playa post-haste if you're down for the trip. The Dirtbombs' myspace fan-site also says that the new album, We Have You Surrounded, is slated for a February 2008 release and a "full" tour is supposed to follow. The unmastered new tracks on that fine page sound tasty, so it should be great! Huzzah!

The Rockies can suck a cock.

Yeah, that's right. Yes, it's wonderful that they're the first team to win 21 out of 22 games after September 1st (of course, I do want them to wreck the fucking Red Sox). However, when these mile high douchebags start trying to TRADEMARK ROCKTOBER is when I GET PISSED OFF! Rocktober is the rockingest month of the year for all, not for your stupid baseball team and its stupid fans. Goddamnit.

Revisited
Two things dawned on me last week. For one, Envelope's Insignificant Anthems is an OK, not great, album. Would have been better as an EP (maybe even a 8 song "long EP"), as it loses a great deal of steam in the second half. More importantly, however, I also realized that listening to music with Andy (and getting his reaction on it) seems to spur a more realistic view on music within me (pretty gay, huh). I have a tendency to "like" a ton of music, thinking it's great and all, but then having to sit in a car listening to it with other ears is a tough test to pass. I should perform that test more often, I suppose, but this lil blurb is gay enough.

Well, hopefully I have more to say soon. There might also be some donewritings soon, so look out for those too! Peace out, brotherhams.

No. Seriously.

This blog is not dead. Neither am I. Well, it's possible that these thoughts did not pass through any minds of my faithful readers, but the reliable ticker to the right seems to think people are still coming here, so I would like to encourage that behavior. I will have new content for you shortly. I love you baby, just keep lovin' me.

Why? Why not?

Thanks, toothpastefordinner.com, for the lovely start to this entry. ROFL at Cincinnati. (EDIT: Fuck, I might need to buy this. Feel free to vote yes or no in the comments section!) Anyhoo, sorry for more slow posting and thank you for reading this. Goddamn MP3s chirpin in my earpiece! Thanks for nothing, "Kites!" As I was saying, beautiful topics for my loyal reader.5s' consumption have been hard to come by. I've had some musical ideas, but I've not been super inspired by them. And let's face facts, I don't want to write about my life and you probably don't want to read about it. You really don't. So, let's soldier on, shall we? Today's entry will be some quick musical observations on recent listenings and, believe it or not, a rock show or two! And the fact that today's PTW jams sure beat the pants off yesterday's. Just a bunch of chirping and humming and parakeets. Ehhh.

Rockstarrrrrrr!


First of all, I'm debuting with a new band (well, it's their second show technically) on Friday night at Cafe Bourbon Street. It's called Sir Real & The Drag and features Jim and Dave of Night of Pleasure fame and Jesse of Dolby Fuckers fame. There's guitars, a bass, and a bunch of keyboards and drum machines. And my sturdy bari sax on a few choice numbers. The music is pretty noisy, but there's a little structure to latch onto. We're playing with This Moment In Black History, The Deathers (a new project from Bim of This Moment), and Necropolis, so I'm pretty excited. C'mon out, Andy and Jason will be drinking with me and you!

Bauchklang!

I stumbled upon this lovely album on my computer in some late-night listening recently. Actually, I was hunting through my MP3s looking for stuff that was begging to be deleted. You know, like bad raps or songs with made-up genres or other whatnottery. This album has the genre label "A Cappella," which sounded like bullshit to me, so it was on the chopping block, but I decided to give it a listen. Good call by this guy! Bauchklang is a group of Austrian dudes that compose entire songs (and albums) simply with beatboxin'. I can't make up my mind how groundbreaking this is, but the results are pretty awesome, so that's the important thing, right? They sign in English well, but mostly lay down some sick beats and cool sound effects. This album is not even available here in the States, so dudes, find an affordable way for me to own this legally and I'll make it happen, but only then, OK? Thanks.

Bob Log III in Cleveland

Yes indeed folks, Renkes and I went to see the immortal Bob Log III in Cleveland last Thursday night. It had been 3 years since my last visit with the Log (4 for Renkes), so it was a refreshing dip in the rock 'n roll pool. Yes, it was a pain to drive to Cleveland on a Thursday night (and work Friday, unlike Renkes). However, I realized that our neighbors to the north are much better-suited to throw a proper Bob Log party. Mostly because of the higher greaser population and lower collective morals. Perfect! After two Columbus shows where a total of 3 women "may" have placed their boobs in the scotch under the guard of their faithful shirts, we were honored to see five (5!) bare breasts lovingly placed into their icy friend. Now, no boob scotch was actually passed around this party (damn low morals), but those breasts were comfort enough. He did all the classics (he had a diatribe about people asking for new material and him responding that his set was perfect, how could he change it?!) and his old friend Shirley (his new pet name for Cleveland) got him drunk. Best Bob Log show I may ever see. Local burlesque troupe The Pussyfoot Girls (proud owners of 4 of the 5 boobs in question) and local devil-rapin' hillbilly duo Uncle Scratch's Gospel Revival were fine openers. And it was all over at 12:30! Hallelujah!

OK, that's about all I got. I'll have thoughts on more albums soon. And yes, even Friday's Iron & Wine song whooped that gobbledygook that PTW called songs on Monday. Excelsior!

A Mix For Daymon

(Note: When I first started this post a month ago, I found the above picture here. The thumbnail image of the pic looked cool, but imagine my surprise to find myself looking on in the background! I didn't know that a picture of Daymon and I together existed, so this is great to see!)

For those of you don't know, my friend Daymon Dodson passed away on August 16, 2006. His many friends still seek to keep his memory (and the memory of lost friends and family of others, like DJ PRZM (RIP)) in the forefront, so the second annual Daymon Day Parade will start at 7 PM at Tuttle Park here in Columbus on Saturday and will proceed to a tribute show to Daymon and PRZM at Skullys later that evening. Please come out!

Though it's hard sometimes, I remember Daymon as a hero and an inspiration in how to view life. As we were fellow music fans, there are certain songs that will remind me of Daymon forever. So I put together a mix of all of the ones I could remember, with commentary. Props to Wes Flexner for his inspiring words that encouraged me to complete this labor of love. I hope you enjoy.

A Mix For Daymon

1. Jaylib - "Champion Sound"
The first of 8 J Dilla-related selections on this compilation (9 if you count Black Milk), which makes sense to me because Daymon loved Dilla's music. This song, one of the standouts from the J Dilla/Madlib collabo, bangs in an otherworldly fashion.
2. Kool & The Gang - "Fruitman"
When J Dilla's Donuts came out in February 2006, Daymon was excited by finding a collection of songs sampled for that album and played his favorites often in the great white van. This track (sampled for "The Diff'rence") has to be the weirdest Kool & The Gang song I've ever heard, but it's a fun tune, so who cares?
3. J Dilla - "Workinonit"
It was hard to pick one track from Donuts, but I think this one is pretty strong.
4. Kanye West feat. Consequence & John Legend - "Grammy Family"
I remember Daymon being hyped when he tracked this one down and was bumpin' it in the van. I had some difficulty finding this and I'm not 100% sure it's the same version he had, but it still bumps.
5. Beaten Awake - "Goin' Nowhere"
It's not very representative that there are only two rock songs here, but I had difficulty tying memories to most specific songs/bands. It's hard to forget these Akron boys though, as I saw them with Daymon a time or two and the song is still on his Myspace page. Beaten Awake dedicated the song to Daymon at their Bourbon Street show in August, which was a little emotional but worked out fine.
6. Edan feat. Insight - "Funky Voltron"
Great song from great album. I remember seeing Edan and Insight at Scribble Jam 2005 (with Daymon standing nearby, we weren't close at the time) and seeing Edan with Daymon at Wexner Center last May.
7. J Dilla feat. Guilty Simpson & Madlib- "Baby"
A standout track from The Shining, J Dilla's posthumous opus that came out last summer. This track seemed to get Daymon (and many other people) excited about Guilty's arrival on the scene.
8. Black Milk feat. Guilty Simpson - "Sound The Alarm"
Yes, this track had not come out at the time of Daymon's death, but he probably had it anyway. Daymon, Detox and I went to Detroit last Memorial Day for the J Dilla tribute show at the Detroit Electronic Music Festival. That was a great trip, with hilarious miscues (Manville!) and many good performances once we got there. Black Milk ripped it especially hard that night and keeps the light burning for one of his inspirations.
9. D.I.T.C. - "Day One"
I've been a D.I.T.C. fan for a long time, but I don't remember ever talking to Daymon about them. However, when I was in St. Louis for a friend's bachelor party last July, he left the meat of Diamond D's verse ("Son I'm sick, and you can put that on my mama, exclamation point, quotation, comma") on my voicemail, which was dope. I tried to save that message, but it eventually expired or I accidentally deleted it.
10. Jay Dee (aka J Dilla) - "Fuck The Police"
A classic J Dilla party-starter. "1, 2, 3, Fuck The Police!"
11. Slum Village - "The Look Of Love"
I bought the reissue of the Slum Village debut album last summer, as Daymon's influence had inspired me to investigate more of Dilla's back catalog. When Daymon died, I listened to the album (and this song especially) very often.
12. The Lindsay - "Like The Back Of My Hand"
Like my Beaten Awake commentary above, it doesn't seem right that I only managed to squeeze one Columbus rock song into this mix. If it has to be one, however, this is the one. I remember Daymon telling me at his 29th birthday party last summer that this was the best song in Columbus rock at the time. Can't argue that one.
13. The Pharcyde - "Runnin'"
Another timeless J Dilla production. This track still gets all sorts of spin, and the DJ nights dedicated to Dilla last year were no exception.
14. Smif-N-Wessun - "Bucktown"
A mainstay jam at Columbus hip-hop shows (just say "Bustown" instead). Hip-hop shows here aren't the same.
15. The UN - "Golden Grail"
Daymon spread the word about this NYC crew to anyone who would listen. Vicious beats and rhymes. Another album that got many spins from me upon his passing.
16. The Sylvers - "Only One Can Win"
This song was more sample fodder for Donuts ("Only Two Can Win") and another quirky soul jam in the van.
17. Nas - "N.Y. State of Mind"
One bar from this song best sums up my initial reaction to Daymon's death (and a great deal of my thoughts on the topic now): "It's like the game ain't the same." Rough song from a rough time.
18. Camu Tao - "Hold The Floor"
I couldn't think of a better way to end this mix. A fundamental portion of Daymon's eternal legacy is his six-year term as the host of Columbus hip-hop's breakout party. When I hear this song, I remember the Fonosluts rippin' up the turntables on those Sundays in dank ol' Bernie's. On the Fonosluts' last night, my shins got bloody from all the dudes breakin' bottles (I was wearing shorts, whoops) and Daymon got "banned" from Bernie's for ripping a large power cord out of the wall. This is the craziness of Columbus hip-hop. Mash out!

Download Here

Time To Randomize

Well, maybe these weeks won't be postful if I can't think of anything to write. So, while we wait for the wave of brainpower and creativity to crest upon us, I figured I'd at least give you another random MP3 review post. Party time! And Go Browns!!!

Sonic Youth - "Do You Believe In Rapture?"

2006's Rather Ripped is the only Sonic Youth album I've listened to completely. If this is their old-man material, then maybe I should finally get my act together and hit the back catalog. Good startup tune.

Antibalas - "Filibuster XXX"

Wow, two non-raps in a row? Crazy! And, for the record, I can't fathom tapping away at the keyboard for all 12 minutes of this, so I might be hitting ye olde skip button at some point. I'm sure there have to be plenty of 2007 political jams out there that I haven't heard, but this has to be on the list of the best. Of course, we don't get vocals until about 7 minutes in, but the boys gotta warm up, you know? Man, they sure warmed up the Wexner Center back in the spring. Woof. In case you missed it, here is my interview with Stuart Bogie, tenor sax player for the Brooklyn juggernaut. Excelsior!

Ghostface Killah - "All That I Got Is You"

That's more like it. Of course, this song is pretty sad, but I'll keep going. This comes from a Ghostface comp called Wonderful World of Wallabees, which, upon reading the title, sounded like something magical. But no, it appears to be an earlier Ghostface greatest hits collection with a wacky name. This song sure ain't different. So, I should probably delete the overlapping compilation to regain some space, but what fun is that? I'll just buy more memory, ROFL.

Brand Nubian - "Right Here"

Smooth jam with some ill muted trumpet. "More accurate than an Acura?" Uh, Puba, really? Anyhoo, this comes from a 2007's Time's Runnin' Out, a collection of Brand Nubian material that was recorded in 1997 and mostly didn't surface on Foundation, I guess. Good song.

CNN - "Neva Die Alone"

"Rip shit like Wrestlemania!" Not my favorite track on The War Report, but still a hard beat and our favorite Lefrak gangsters rip it well. When I first heard this album, it had a menacing, paranoid tone that is still intact today. Too bad they couldn't keep it hot, fuck jail.

J. Bully (I think) - "Get Rite"

Yeah, this is off a random shitty mixtape that's been on the computer for six months at this point. Why? DELTETED!!! Deltaco?

Aesop Rock - "Bring Back Pluto"

Oh Aesop, keep us up on current topics. Pluto should still be a planet, I agree. This new album is pretty hot. I thought I was done buying Aesop albums, but then I heard it and said, "Sure!" Also, the Def Jux tactic of recording the name of the person that they gave the promo copy to on the front and back of each track is good fun.

Just-Ice - "Lyric Licking"

"I didn't know what to write, I just sat down and wrote it." Wow, simple wisdom from Just-Ice. Shoulda started with this track. Nice dancehall-inflected rap party. I should listen to more Just-Ice.

Down South - "Open Sesame"

Yeah, there's not nearly enough obscure '90s raps on this computer. ROFL. Anyway, I got this from Jaz's Back to 1994 Volume 1 Mix. Ill Beatnuts production on this one.

Supreme NTM - "Qui paiera les degats"

Speaking of obscure early 90s raps with Beatnuts production! Well, there was actually a 45 second 2003 Headhunters song in there, but life is...too short. Anyway, the difference with this track is that these dudes are French. No idea what they're saying, but I think I understood those gunshots. Sounds about as menacing as possible for some Frogs, so good job guys!

Gotta run. Keep your eyes open for new jams!

#150

Yes indeed, ladies and germs, this is my 150th post. It only took me 3 and a half years, aren't you proud of me??? OK, as a math dude, I have to mention that this only works out to an average of about 3.5 posts a month. Womp womp. I'll work on bringing that up in the sure-to-be-"postful" weeks upcoming. I mean, I am on an upswing as I posted 11 times in August, my third-most posts in any one month ever (behind the first two months of the blog)!!! Look out 200! Anyway, I'm doing alright, the usual ups and downs. Frankfort, KY was a good time last weekend. Mmm, Old Style (Sorry, Naps, that's all I got). This weekend, it's off to the bustling metropolis of Wind Ridge, PA. Yeah, it's a camp lodge in the middle of the country, but it's the home of WOOSTOCK. Mmm, Yuengling, and old college friends. Hopefully I'll get settled into my new place (and posting regularly) next week when all this traveling has ended. We'll see what happens!


Now, since I downloaded it about six months ago, I've been impressed with the Last.fm application. You know, that deal that keeps track (or, "scrobbles") all the songs you play on iTunes, sharing your playlist on the web (like that display on the upper right of this page) and putting you out there with other like-minded citizens (come visit me here). Now, come to find out, it also fails to reveal how crazy you are when you listen to the same song umpteen times in a row (that's funny, the spellchecker doesn't like iTunes, or spellchecker for that matter, but it has no problem with umpteen). You see, this week has been weird. I have had serious difficulty sleeping. This reached a peak Tuesday night when I didn't fall asleep until after 5. Sucked. So, at one point, definitely not in my best mindstate, I fell upon the mellow tones of "Go Places," from the new New Pornographers album, Challengers. I listened to it ten times in a row. Probably not obsessive or anything (?!) but still much different from my normal listening pattern. Helluva song though, so it deserved it. So anyway, though I played it ten times, my good chum last.fm scrobbled it twice. ROFL. I haven't really decided if that's a good or bad thing, but like I said, my profile doesn't reveal that I was going crazy, so I guess that's good. Also, the whole album is pretty damn nice. Peeps don't seem to dig it as much as previous works, but I'm into it. Where Twin Cinema is a tuneful kick in the ass, this one is a(n even more) tuneful bubble bath (if the bath has an internal boot that kicks your ass every once in a while). Wow. Read an actual well-written review from my DW colleague Han Q. Duong here.

Something else I got into during my sleepless night was Pandora.com. I had read about it on da tubes, and Andy was biggin it up recently, so I finally checked it out. Pretty dope. It makes internet radio based on a band (or bands) you like, and seems to do it pretty well. I gave them Sabu Martinez and they cranked out a good Cuban station. I gave them Television and they gave me a post-punk station that I've carved into something else by adding more bands. Good times. Of course, being the advanced internetter that I am, I had also heard of this site, which is based on the ingenious concept of combining Last.fm and Pandora! So you can scrobble all your Pandora joints! And here I thought you had to be downloading to enjoy music on the internet! I mean, not me.

So yeah, I guess my sleepless night was good writing fodder, so that's helpful. It even gave me time to check out Tha Bomb Shelter, a cool Columbus-based music blog where Harry has reviewed the new Aesop Rock joint quite glowingly (though comparing it to Deltron is risky business in these parts). Cold check it. I gotta go to bed. Have a good weekend.

ROFLz

So yeah. Sorry about the downtime. My first attempt at my major content (~!) was thwarted by lack of planning and overabundance of doubt (which, to some extent, was calmed by the reassuring words of one Wes Flexner). It will still happen (because I have a SERIOUS pic to accompany it), and will be posted on or before September 15th. So the thwarting and reassuring was last Wednesday. Thursday was the most triumphant Columbus debut of the Budos Band at the Ravari Room. Damn, it was sweaty-amazing. On Friday, I went to DC for Yuengling and brodown-ing. Monday I had gum surgery. Yes, this was my third surgery out of 4. Fucking fun stuff! You should try it. So anyway, that's what I've been up to. More weekend traveling awaits, so hopefully weekday posting will happen, which is definitely possible now with...

Teh Internetz!

One major factor in my lack of posting has been defeated! My home (SUPER)computer has returned to the internet! Look out innertubes! This will also aid me in the preparation of the secret major content referenced above.

More sweet content will flood your PC or other computing device shortly. In the meantime, here is a list of dope albums I have listened to recently:

Challengers, New Pornographers
Marquee Moon, Television
Keep Reachin' Up, Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators

Here is a list of long-awaited triple-albums that I only made it through one disc (well, just about one disc) of before having to overcome the urge to throw said disc out the car window (I think I'll try again when I'm more ready for it, but Andy will probably enjoy this anyway):

Live at Tonic, Marco Benevento

Short list. Oh well. Toodles!

Ugghhh

(Me, 3AM Sunday Morning)

So, about that continued (D)onslaught of funky material...not looking good. Rather tired. Lotsa work to do this week. Mental state - shaky. So, in a move that seems very unnecessary based on the long and varied history of this blog, I'm taking a "break" until Thursday. By hook or by crook, the plan for Thursday's content will be successful. YES IT WILL, DAMMIT! So, loving reader, please come see me on 8/16 for important content. DO IT!

Ironman

Now, one may think that severe technical problems (aka Internet/Cable non-functional for most of the day) and a MYSTERIOUS ILLNESS~! would add up to the end of this miraculous streak of continuous content here at Funky Daggers. FALSE!!! I'm alive and on the internet. Now, I don't have anything superfunky to say, unfortunately. I did play some funky jazz (at times) tonight at Surly Girl Saloon. True Skills played my favorite track off the aforementioned Whitefield Brothers album and I remain jealous that he has it. The best funky news I've heard lately came my way yesterday...Andy "The Man" Napier will attend the Budos Band show Thursday night! Thanks, Columbus State! I can't wait, can't wait!

So, thank you for letting me off the "MAJOR CONTENT" hook tonight, blogosphere. Funky typins will continue to issue forth through Thursday, so stay tuned!

Poets of Rhythm

(Part 6 of 10 of Funkstravaganza 2007!)
Much to Napier's dismay, I am a big fan of the Poets of Rhythm. These wacky Germans have released some of my favorite modern funk albums and are always looking to grow in new directions. Following these dudes is trying sometimes, though, because of A) their fondness of recording under different band names and aliases, and B) their oft-sporadic output. Also, the fact that their music is occasionally reissued (because of its underground popularity) in different packages by different labels just makes collecting their tunes more confusing. But music is a labor of love, right? Whatever, if they keep coming with the getdown, I'll be happy.

Their first LP, Practice What You Preach, was originally issued on Soulciety Records in 1993 and was reissued by good ol' Daptone Records in 2006. In this era, they had more of an uptempo James Brown/JBs party groove. There are some great dance numbers here, and some smoky instrumentals. "North Carolina" has never been funkier.

In 2001, after some further evolution and some hip-hop backing work, they released Discern/Define on Quannum Records. This was my introduction to the dudes, as the record was being promoted to me as the music director of WCWS (WOO 91?!?!? NEVER THAT!), the College of Wooster's radio station. This album reveals their interest in African rhythms and hypnotic grooves. Though there are still some occasional party numbers, the sound of this album is more suitable for private late-night sessions (Thanks, Poets of Rhythm!). Groovy shit.

In 2002 (and before I left the graces of college and college radio), the Poets re-emerged as the Whitefield Brothers and released In The Raw on the dearly departed Soul Fire Records. This album represents further investigation into African funk stylings, along with some old-fashioned hammering funk grooves. The opening title track will always be one of my favorites. It's not a dance track: instead, it makes you feel like Godzilla, wanting to punch and kick massive brick walls to the ground (to a funky soundtrack). Brutal stuff. If anyone has a vinyl copy of this, holler at the kid.

Since then, official output has slowed. The Poets name has appeared on the occasional single and many funky compilations. There are prospects, however, of a new album. As first mentioned below, the Poets have released a new single as the Polyversal Souls. I listened to the samples today...damn! The A-side "Sad Nile" is reminiscent of classic Mulatu material, with the addition of "one pound of fatback drums." There seems to be renewed interest in Ethiopian sounds, which I find exciting. The B-side "Muswell Hill" is a saxy organ groover and is right up my alley. The link to the single above mentions the possibility of a new Whitefield Brothers album on Now Again/Stones Throw, which sounds like a great place for them to release material. Fingers crossed and updates to come!

Funk On The Internet

(Part 5 of 10 of Funkstravaganza 2007!)

Limited time today, folks, so below is a list of good internet funk spots that I recommend (or remember liking a few years ago). Hunting down the links just reminded me: PRIVATE BLOGS ARE LAME. I understand that random people on the internet are often stupid, but if you can't fortify yourself against that, GIVE IT UP. That is all.

Soul Sides: By most accounts, Oliver "O-Dub" Wang is the OG of this internet funk shit. He even has a "how-to guide" for any aspiring MP3 bloggers out there.

Funky 16 Corners: Larry been doin the obscure single in MP3 format thing for a hot minute. Seriously though, he has lots of knowledge and lots of tunes, so check it out. He also posts mixes these days, both on his site and others, including...

This Is Tomorrow: Just found this site. Luxembourg's DJ Blueprint compiles guest mixes and drops a fair amount of his own. The interludes (and funk) on this Funky 16 Corners mix were killin' me yesterday!

WeFunk Radio: Chops and I have enjoyed the funk and hip-hop provided by these groovy Canadians for years. I need to get back into it. Crazy archives and a stream of random classic shows.

Anybody out there have suggestions for other funky spots? Let me know. Now go have a funky weekend.

Eccentric Soul: The Prix Label

(Part 4 of 10 of Funkstravaganza 2007!)

Those of you who are in/from Columbus, friends of mine, or aficionados of the funky stuff should remember Eccentric Soul: The Capsoul Label, a compilation of released and unreleased tracks from Bill Moss' Columbus-based Capsoul Records (In case you don't remember, here is something I wrote back then). That compilation is a treasure trove of (mostly) forgotten Columbus soul stompers, and I think it went a long way to open the eyes of many younger (and older) Central Ohio music buffs to Columbus' detailed soul music history. Eccentric Soul: The Capsoul Label was the first release from Chicago's Numero Group, a reissue label that has stood out over the 3 years since through its commitment to create lovingly-detailed reissues of some deserving music that the world as a whole has never heard. They now have 16 full-length compilations under their belts (as well as a handful of singles and t-shirts) that range from funk/soul to international to gospel to folk to rock. I need some more of these. This brings us to present day.

On June 5th, Numero released Eccentric Soul: The Prix Label. I was shocked when I heard about this, the story of another overlooked Columbus soul label. How could there be more? Well friends, there is more, and it's more good stuff. I've had it for a few weeks now (For the record: fellow Wooster Funk Posse founding member Michael "Chops" Oswald got his hands on this before I did) and I've been able to get into most of the tracks. Eddie Ray was the star of this label (five of his tracks are featured here), but there is male soul and a few funk instrumentals from a bevy of unknown singers/bands. Marion Black, who featured prominently on the CapSoul comp, also appears here with the beautifully admonishing "Listen Black Brother." A favorite of mine is OFS Unlimited's "Mr. Kidneys," which sounds like the recording will burst from exhaustion at any moment. Though it's sad that these tracks weren't highly acclaimed upon release (or, in some cases, released at all), it is great that the Numero guys have shifted some attention Prix's way. A great article about the label and compilation (featuring quotes from Marion Black and Eddie Ray) written by Aaron Beck at the Columbus Dispatch is here (as found here).

Upcoming Funk Releases

(Part 3 of 10 of Funkstravaganza 2007!)


As discussed yesterday, Budos Band II has now hit the streets with "its twenty-two legs, three horns, and hallucinogenic venom" (some of my favorite publicity writing ever). The world funk underground is bubbling over with new albums, which is quite a reassuring sign. Numero Uno on this list (due to a combination of anticipation and the relative certainty of its release) is Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings' 100 Days, 100 Nights, currently scheduled for release on October 2nd on Daptone Records. The three new tracks on her myspace sound like some damn fiery soul to me, so I think that the Queen of the Funky Soul Armada is leading the troops into pleasing waters. Of course, a new release wouldn't be right without a tour. She will be hitting Cleveland's Beachland Ballroom on Tuesday, November 20th, but I think a posse is considering attending the actual release party at THE APOLLO (you know, the one in Harlem) on Saturday, October 6th. MAN UP!

Truth & Soul Records released Let Me Be Your Man by Tyrone Ashley's Funky Music Machine yesterday, which is a collection of previously unreleased Plainfield, NJ (if that town doesn't sound familiar, you ain't funkin it right) gems from the turn of the 1970s. Connie Price & The Keystones are currently planning to drop their new LP on Ubiquity Records on September 25th. Ubiquity, becoming more and more a home of that funky stuff every month, also has the debut LP from Orgone slated for October 23rd.

El Michels Affair (the main force of Truth & Soul) is signed to Fat Beats Records for an album of instrumental covers of Wu-Tang Clan songs, but the only info on that release is "coming soon." Truth & Soul is also hyping the upcoming The Many Moods of Lee Fields LP, which would be a sight for sore eyes. There are blips and blops circulating about the mighty Poets of Rhythm, as they (billed as the Polyversal Souls) have dropped a new single on Fryer Records in the UK.

I'll try to give you (and well, me) periodic updates on these records, as new funk is always good news.

Budos Band II

(Part 2 of 10 of Funkstravaganza 2007!)


Today, August 7th, 2007, marks the official release of The Budos Band's second album, Budos Band II. Though the first album is quite the funky experience (more to come on that later), this new banger is off the charts. Somehow they've managed to go in a few more directions sonically while producing a sharper sound, which I previously thought was impossible. Though the "afro" and the "funk" are still firmly in place, there are also more Latin and soundtrack bits this time around. And oh yeah, the horn section is still BRUTAL. Opening track and lead single "Chicago Falcon" has been a favorite in the FunkDefy! camp ever since it hit Myspace. The percussion and bass lay down a serious clappin' groove, setting it up for those horns. The rest of the album thumps just as hard, conjuring up images of dancing bongos ("Adeniji"), the Budos singing smoky love songs to Mulatu ("Origins of Man"), and the Wu-Tang Clan solving a mystery in Cairo ("Budos Rising"). Cinematic indeed.

So yes, hit the webstores and iTunes and BUY THIS ALBUM! Or, if you can wait that long, come buy it at the Ravari on August 16th (or at their other dates, for you outta-towners). Early frontrunner for funk album of the year (though there are always contenders in the offing).

Funkstravaganza 2007!

(Part 1 of 10)


I'm sharpening my HTML skills into a razor-sharp lance with which to run-through the competition. Victory shall be mine! It doesn't take much success in manipulating the internets to make me happy. Nevermind.

In 10 days, Columbus shall host its funkiest concert ever, or at least since 1973. Of course, I DJ for the outfit that is presenting this event (FunkDefy!). However, I can honestly say that for me, as a fan of modern funk (or to use the Dusty Groove term, "Deep Funk") for about 5 years, this is the best (only???) show of that realm to hit town since I've been paying attention. I mean, if you told young Andrew "Funky D" Patton in the summer of 2002 that he would be an opening DJ for a band on Daptone Records, I really don't know what the chap would have done. In the early stages (and sadly, peak) of "The Wooster Funk Posse," I'm pretty sure my mind would have been blown at such news.

So, here's the deal: On Thursday, August 16th, at the Ravari Room, the FunkDefy DJs (featuring sets from Numeric, Ginsu, and yours truly, Funky D) will spin some opening sets (starting at 9) before giving way to Staten Island's own:

The Budos Band!

Comprised of members of Sharon Jones' Dap-Kings and other NYC funk luminaries, this band's sharp Afro-Funk is quite dazzling. So, Columbus, I will be counting down to this show with daily (!) posts highlighting funky musics and happenings in the world around us. I will make it! See it and believe it!

Movin On Up

Hopefully this sweet pic makes up for that crappy title. Yes, as my most vocal reader has noted, I just moved to new digs, 7 blocks south and 2 blocks east of the old digs. Just call me College Joe. Anyway, turmoil reigns in the realm of computer access and writin time. So I'm piecing something meager together in the hopes that any new readers I have gained during my phantasmagorical return don't flee during these boring times. I may just scrap my "innovative" concept for a new series of entries as they seem to warrant more thought and effort than I can currently give them (while still posting once a week or so). So we'll see about that.

Hey, I did write something

My review of the new self-titled Dolby Fuckers album (and preview of Friday's release party) is now up at Donewaiting. In other news, I also played baritone sax on one of the songs on this album, and will be playing it live at the release party. Hopefully I walked the great bias tightrope with some dexterity. If you live in Columbus, I expect to see you Friday. It is FREE.

Show Reviewz?!?!?

As my long-time readers know, the live show (p)review was once the hallmark of this blog. As anyone currently reading this shadow of its former self knows, I have not published a live show review on da nets in approximately 412.6 grips (cd review/show preview combos have happened). Actually, the boys in research just told me that my last DW show review was written on April 16, 2007, which was the first one since March 30, 2006, while the last show review here was written on October 25, 2005. Diznamn. What the hell happened? Good question. Now, I can't make any promises about increased output, but I'm gonna make an effort to give some brief impressions on shows whenever I get a chance. Sure, I've been to less shows lately too, but that makes it even more important that I write about the ones I do attend in the hopes that I remember them more effectively. Whew.

So, on Monday night at Carabar, I saw San Diego's Red Pony Clock (previously written about here) and Columbus' Kyle Sowashes (I unfortunately had to miss Heavy Mole and the Red Pony Clock/Heavy Mole Superjam II because I had to like, you know, work in the morning). Kyle and his Sowashes rocked extra hard the most. Wow, maybe I haven't seen enough of the full Sowashes lineup, because I think my face melted a bit. Sure, when they're crankin full tilt (and tambourine man is moshing into Kyle) it's kinda difficult to hear Kyle's vocals, but isn't that true of most bands? Whatever, they slayed. RPC also took care of biz. They have an eleven-piece lineup on this tour, which seems to indicate the one main problem with the band: lack of cohesion/focus. Too many technical ideas and not enough "tightness." Some of these problems even exist in the album versions of the new songs (God Made Dirt is pretty good though), which I guess renders the concert sloppiness unsurprising. So, I wish the brothers Saucedo would either streamline the lineup a bit or at least take out some superfluous song sections so this ramshackle outfit has a better chance of staying together. ASIDE FROM ALL THAT, they were great! New fun songs, at least one electro backbeat, and trombone gags are all fun things. The horns sounded great. So yeah, if they tinker a little bit more with the formula, they could be onto something.

So that's what's up. Come holler at me this weekend and I'll promise to post at least weekly.

More content!

Never that! Delayed until now! What's shakin, y'all? I'm trying to ramp up from the "one post a week" schedule, but it's been a struggle so far. Just keep reading and commenting, and I think I'll get in the groove. Of course, I'm moving this weekend, so that could be disaster for my internet time. I do have a "MAJOR ESSAY SERIES" that will start post-haste, but has been slow-going so far. So enjoy stopgap material, like a portion of an interview from our good ol pal 50 Cent, courtesy of Sleazy Trees at UGHH.com.

The Fifster Unloads On All Who Oppose!! Shit Talk Roundup, 7/20/07, By: Trees

“Vitamin Water”. The hype machine is on full power nowadays for Connecticut’s own 50 Cent as he prepares to drop his 3rd solo effort; CURTIS to the masses. Now I ain’t gonna lie and I know I’ll catch some heat for this but I’ve never really disliked 50, thought he was kind of entertaining actually. I never copped Massacre, but I bought Get Rich, enjoyed some of his singles, never hated without cause.. but dude crossed the fucking line going after Ghostface. Anyway, for those that missed it, 50 and Yayo are featured in this months SPIN magazine trashing the career of the almighty Tony Starks. Here is an excerpt:

SPIN: So what do you really think about those guys who say they're not going to curse anymore?
50: They're just saying it. They're not going to really do it.
SPIN: Yeah, it's hard to imagine Ghostface is going to stop cursing, especially considering his last couple of records.
YAYO: The streets are different now. Guys like Ghostface don't matter. They don't. They had a run, but it's over.
SPIN: But can't he just make a great record, even if it doesn't sell, and we can appreciate it as listeners, as hip-hop fans?
50: No, because a great record is embraced and enjoyed by the public. And it's played in cars and clubs.
SPIN: What if it sells a couple hundred thousand copies, isn't that valid? Or does it have to sell millions for you to take it seriously?
50 CENT: In my camp, a couple hundred thousand records is a failure. From my perspective, if I sell 200,000 copies, after selling 12 million records, it's considered terrible.
SPIN: But maybe he's trying to make a different kind of record?
50 CENT: What, the kind people don't buy?
SPIN: No, one with incredible, detailed storytelling that's moving and powerful, and isn't dependent on some obvious hook.
50 CENT: Look, I understand all that. But if you're on a major record label, and he [Ghostface] is, and you sell a couple hundred thousand records, that was a failure. Your fuckin' photos and videos aren't recouped with 200,000 copies sold.
SPIN: OK, but can you at least acknowledge that a commercial flop, like, say, [Ghostface's] Supreme Clientele, can still be an artistic achievement?
YAYO: He didn't even write that album, man.
SPIN: What?
YAYO: He didn't write it. That kid from Far Rockaway -- Superb -- he wrote that record. You know Superb from Far Rock?
SPIN: No, and that's a pretty serious charge.
50: I don't know nothing about any of that. He's the writer. I'm not gonna say he ain't write it. But it still didn't work! I mean, when I make music, I make it with the intention that the world's gonna enjoy it. I have music that I feel like is really good music, but I haven't released it. There's things playing at my house right now that's never gonna be played on the radio. And that music isn't out there, because I didn't feel like enough people would actually respond to it.


ROFL. "Buy my book! Buy my book! Buy my book!" What a clown. You leave Ghost out of this. And I'll leave you with a "tasty" Flavor of Love-related link. See you soon!

Come come now

Oh, faithful readership (ok, fine, reader-canoe), you didn't think I'd give up that easily, did you? Things are going pretty well. Andy and I are somewhere in the middle of Season 3 of The Office, which has been an enlightening experience for me. Maybe there's some TV worth watching after all. I really really really love the new Patton Oswalt album. It came out four days ago and I can mouth along with him on over half the material. I even bought the old one today! I guess a man that combines my last name and Chops' last name was bound to be tremendous.

OK, on to business. Inspired by some previous bloggins by my best bud, I am now turning on the random MP3 machine and we'll see what I have to say about the results.

Mr. Me Too (Remix) - The Clipse f/Notorious B.I.G.

Yeah, I didn't even realize this existed (or that it was on my computer) until it just popped up. It comes from a mixtape promoting the new album and feels like something that was slapped together for such an occasion. Why? Because they used the same beat and just inserted the first verse from "Everyday Struggle" to start the song. The rest appears to be exactly the same. Which is fine, but taking a pretty sweet song (Mediterrane Up!) and adding one of the best rappers ever makes the expectations a bit higher. Jussayinisall.

Ain't Love - SSM

Great song from great album. I'm still sad that no one showed up for their show at Little Brothers a few months back. Detroit Rock City, muhfuckas! Man, if they did a show opening for the Dirtbombs at the Magic Stick, I'd be there no matter what. With Andy, obviously. Detroit rock pals for life!

Pray For Sound - Pearls & Brass

That was another good LBs show that did better but was still on the under-attended side. Putting on underground touring band shows in Columbus (or anywhere for that matter) appears to be fucking tough business. I know there's talk about someone continuing on with the LBs name, but I hope that if someone does it, they're ready to work VERY hard. I think Columbus needs a replacement, but it's not money in the bank. Proceed with caution. And keep meltin' shit, Pearls & Brass!

Warm It Up Kane - Big Daddy Kane

There was a thread about people's favorite rap voices on Omnimix a while back. I didn't comment, but one of my choices would have to be Kane. He had a very smooth and clear tone, but still had enough kick to pack some menace. "Now whose flat-top rules in 89?"

The Flow - Akrobatik

I think this was the b-side to "Internet MCs," so I obviously haven't given it the love that I give (gave?) that gem, but it's pretty good. Too many rappers. I could see this man being a favorite of mine if there wasn't so much competition. I need to give that Perceptionists album a listen.

125 Part I (The Bio) - Joell Ortiz

This man has generated a goodly amount of hype, but it could be deserved, as he raps pretty damn hard. Also seems to be a better self-promoter than most rappers, which is saying something. I'm interested to see what happens.

Time Is Coming - Illogic

Even my MP3 player reps Bustown! What What What?!? I mean, I forgot about this song. Hotness. Oh, it's on Write To Death 2, so maybe I've only listened to it once or twice prior. I need to keep this in rotation and find out who produced it. I hope Ill keeps things moving because I think he still has alot to say.

Keeps It Movin' - Hangar 18

Alright, this isn't one of my favorites on the album, but the album as a whole still remains among my top purchases under the pressure of serious Scribble Jam salesmanship. They droppin' another album? Let's hope so. I like how Wind and Alaska trade bars; I think it differentiates them from other rap conglomerates out there.

Girls All Pause - Kurupt & Nate Dogg

Not Nate's best crooning. I need to go to bed and this is driving me there. But this post could keep rolling if I don't finish before the next song starts. Ha! Made it! OK, I didn't but this shitty Depeche Mode demo is not gonna keep me going either. Look for more randomness soon!

Fight The Good Fight

Or perhaps, "Write The Good Write." Anyhoo, I've been slackin' on my pimpin' lately. How am I going to become a decent writer if I don't write regularly? Good filsnockin question. Ya know, I don't listen to music as much as I really want to, but I still listen to alot of shtuff and probably could write some thangs. So, if I stick to the current plan (that showed up in my head like 30 minutes ago), I'm going to pop on here as often as possible. I'm not gonna try and convince you of some hogwash like "I'ma write everyday" or whatnot, but I'm gonna give this some effort. I hope. Don't worry, my more "serious" writing will still appear on ye olde Donewaiting; this project is just to keep productive and moving forward, hopefully inspiring some more stuff for that lovely site as well. So here goes.



Last Sunday I finally got around to buying the 2003 CD reissue of Television's Marquee Moon. This is a purchase I've been considering for aeons: either it's never in stock, or I've always hesitated on paying $14.99 (or more) for the disc. I think I first wanted the album before I ever heard any of it, and definitely before I had an estranged love affair with the title track. When I used to hang out at Ravari Room happy hours more often, the song would come on the jukebox occasionally and I'd think, "I like this song...what is it again?" After bugging people or striding up to the juke about five times, it stuck. Especially when I'd lose track of the lengthy quieter jam in the middle and the end would pop up and rock again, bringing the almost eleven minute proceedings to a triumphant end.

So anyway, I finally decided that the mental burden of not owning this album was more costly than $14.99 + tax (and that the bonus tracks made it worth it) and took this bad boy home with me. I'm still getting into it, so I really can't say that all of the tracks are my favorite songs ever, but I've definitely got some new favorites (when I don't just repeat the aforementioned title classic). "Elevation" (track 5) is that ol' ill shit, especially the pause in the chorus that becomes strangely addictive. I know, most people reading this either have no interest in Television or are charter members of the Verlaine fan club, but I had to share my evolution in following these dudes. I'll update this "story" sometime in the future.

Other News:

RIP Boots Randolph. Folks keep dying, and it keeps making me sad. I listened to a few LPs Thursday night when I found out. Yeah, a bit corny at times, but definitely a simple pleasure. Keep on honkin' in heaven, sir.

Today is a monumental day in bloggin history, because 7/7/07 is when the action happens. Alongside the triumphant return that you just faithfully read, Andy's blog is also back! And of course, he hit y'all with a PICTURE PARTY that is 7 to 30 times more entertaining than what you just read, so YOU'LL FUCKIN' LOVE IT!!! It's like February 2004 all over again!!!!! See you next time, dudes.

For those of you still tuned in...

Yeah, I'm still alive. If you want to read current things from me, you're better off checking here or here (former = more complete, but lots of other folks writing; latter = slightly incomplete, but just me).

Since the MP3 blog idea died out pretty fast, I figured I'd at least put up this mix I did for the NDA/Donewaiting We Hate Mixtapes Club. I could always be persuaded to make a series of mixes for this page, so if you download this from here and would like to see more, please let me know! Thanks for reading.



We Hate Mixtapes 12: Technological Breakdown

1. My Flows Is Tight - Lord Digga
2. Love and Happiness - Monty Alexander
3. Ijuswannachill - Large Professor
4. Kiss The Sky - Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra
5. 2001 - Sugarman 3
6. Let A Woman Be A Woman - Dyke & the Blazers
7. Organ Donor - Lefties Soul Connection
8. Guiding Resolution - Poets of Rhythm
9. Night Lights - Time Machine
10. Aht Uh Mi Hed - Shuggie Otis
11. Beautiful Day - Spider Harrison
12. Beat It - Señor Coconut And His Orchestra

There ya have it. Hopefully this mix holds together long enough for you to hear it.

[EDIT] Due to folks having problems with some of the tracks being m4as as opposed to MP3s, when I learned tonight how to easily make MP3s, I redid the m4as. So the new link below is pure MP3 action. LOVE IT MAAAN!

http://www.mediafire.com/?9ztpoebmegv

Real Late At Night

MP3: Cunninlynguists - "Since When"
MP3: Cunninlynguists - "Caved In (feat. Cee-Lo)"

Cunninlynguists - "A Piece Of Strange" (LA Underground, 2006)

So yeah, I know I promised non-raps to come soon, but not yet. We're still diggin at the roots of this page. If you read this page before the DRAMATIC transformation last week, you know that its former name was "Blogged Out Since Cub Scouts." And if you know that, you're likely to know the origins of that title. But if not, that's why these tracks are here. Kentucky's Cunninlynguists have been kickin' out Funky D-approved jams since back in the day. On their debut Will Rap For Food, their underground true-isms included "Thugged Out Since Cub Scouts," a lovely ditty about their "rugged" upbringings. And about 3 years later, a blog was born. Everyone caught up? Where were we?

In early 2006, the boys unleashed their third official album (we're not gonna count those "Sloppy Seconds" joints, right Abele?) upon the world. The promotion of this event included a (mostly) hot show in Cincinnati that was attended by yours truly and Young Lord Napppppius. Phantasmagorical. Anygay (shouts to Kangaroo Juice!), the album turned out pretty well. No RJD2-produced bangers, but plenty of lyrical wisdom and raptainment. If you wanna hear more, holla at yer boy!

Mission: One

MP3: Mission (aka Crown City Rockers) - "Contagious"
MP3: Mission (aka Crown City Rockers) - "Chocolate Milk & Apricots"

So, as you may have noticed, thangs have changed. A lurking thought came to a head (yes, my big head) today: Why don't I have an MP3 blog? Good question, I said to myself. I have this awesome blog with great archives from '04-'05 (read 'em if you don't know) and a royal fuck-ton of music. So, why not write a paragraph about an album or two a week and share some jointz? No reason not to. So here it is: Dem Funky Daggers, a home for random music writins and listenins. Probably nothing new, just crucial tracks from the archives. Most genres will be covered (well, by that I mean hip-hop, funk, rock, jazz, afrobeat, and more?!?), so if you don't like the current selections, come back in a week (or less) and try again. Also, if there's something particular that you think I might own (or easily acquire) and want to hear/read about, please comment or email and I'll see what I can do. I know, I'm a rather accommodating dude. So enjoy, and please let me know what you think. So, to begin:

Mission - One (Insiduous Urban, 2001)

My mission to bring the jams to YOUR car (or computer) kicks off with a couple tracks off of One, the album made by the group currently known as the Crown City Rockers when they were called Mission. Kids educated at the Berklee School of Music in Boston always come up with crazy recording projects that, while often brainy, are usually worthwhile (i.e. these dudes). This is where this particular hip-hop band comes into play. Lots of intriguing keyboards and production anchor the rhymes of Raashan Ahmad and Moe (no longer with the group). Though it's hard to pick favorites on this 18 (well, 19) track jamfest, the above 2 are certainly in the top 5 (and I still love apricots). So please enjoy and come back soon!