Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Why? Why not?

toothpaste for dinner


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!

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

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!

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Sunday, September 09, 2007

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!