Music
Essays, blog posts, playlists, and more focused broadly on music. For more playlists visit my Spotify profile.
- Raising The Dead: Yeasayer ()
2007 has thus far provided no shortage of foot stomping, hand clapping songs akin to that of how you might imagine a tribal gather sounding. The realm of this intense urgency is beautifully captured by Frog Eyes on their recent Tears of the Valedictorian. Similar to form, Brooklyn’s Yeasayer proved an unexpectedly commanding force during […]
- Post Punk Logistics: Twinkranes ()
Forming in 2004 the trio of Twinkranes (aka T. Krane, The Rooster and Dr. Raymond Crane) spent its first two years together establishing the band’s musical focus and creating a number of visual pieces which would later accompany the group’s live performances in the form of an electronic slide show. After playing a list of […]
- The Envy of The Clever Girls: Pelle Carlberg ()
Following an extended stint with the Swedish six piece Edson, Pelle Carlberg continues to branch out with his own lively pop ballads. While much of his upcoming album In A Nutshell focuses on bit of dreary wit, tracks such as “Clever Girls” and “I Love You, You Imbicile” insert a playful theme that gives it […]
- Common Feat. DJ Premier “The Game” Video ()
One of the highest profile hip hop releases of the year is Common’s forthcoming Finding Forever which is slated for release in late July. I can’t help but recognize Common’s attempts to market the longevity of his career, but after six solid albums shouldn’t he be allowed to do so? After rapping for The Gap […]
- Band of Brothers: Brothers Quetico ()
Minneapolis’ Brothers Quetico find old soul in quid bro quo, their debut full length that somehow slipped under the radar fall of last year. In true punk tradition, the Brothers cover 9 songs in 25 minutes, traversing a grizzly terrain of grandly intelligible progressions and sentimental vocal harmonies that recalls a similar restless simplicity Radiohead […]
- Kanye West “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” Video ()
“Can’t Tell Me Nothing” furthers Kanye West’s ongoing public introspection surrounding integrating his celebrity into his life, all the while attempting to figure out how to live freely in spite of it. How can you follow your religion when it asks for humility, live like you once did with your family and friends and most […]
- Manic Street Preachers “Your Love is Not Enough” Video ()
There’s a sense of spectacle when you unknowingly stumble into a piece of music that catches you entirely off guard. Even despite its kitschy pop sentimentalism, such is the case with the first single from the Manic Street Preacher’s latest Send Away the Tigers entitled “Your Love is Not Enough.” The Cardigans‘ Nina Persson adds […]
- Je Suis la Musique: Je Suis France ()
Je Suis France takes surrounds itself with as much myth and humor as the acts many might suggest it sounds like. The group’s off kilter experimentalist Ween-ish melodies roll hand in hand with its peculiar history. With the group’s Mind Zappa release it attempted to construct renditions of Frank Zappa songs that the band had […]
- Queens of the Stone Age “Turnin’ on the Screw” ()
As we progress closer to the release date of Era Vulgaris the releases become more exciting and fresh with every listen. Today I was graced with an advanced listen to another new track entitled “Turnin’ on the Screw.” It’s a little bit slower than the album’s other advanced releases with a tone similar to the […]
- The Black Keys “The Live EP” ()
Big thanks to Bill (voted Cleveland’s most handsome man two years running) over at I Rock Cleveland for the heads up on a special internet exclusive EP released yesterday by his fine city’s The Black Keys. For those who are already familiar with the band I imagine you’re not even reading this and have simply […]
- Satan Rides The Media: A Varg Vikernes Documentary ()
This 1998 documentary does little to expand on what is now commonly known to black metal fans familiar with Varg Vikernes, Øystein Aarseth and the Norwegian church burnings of the early to mid 1990s however it does provide a lot of footage that adds weight to the story. Along those lines, the film takes time […]
- The Love is in The Interpretation: Rick Whispers ()
It’s been a couple years since the stigmatic shadow that trails Eminem’s legacy was once relevant and white MCs are still creating some of the most interesting and undeniably talented lyrical webs in the game. It’s not the color, but the introduction to the art that is what’s important however and in the case of […]
- Dawn Landes feat. WST “Young Folks” ()
I’ve never been one to shy away from banjos, so after becoming informed of Dawn Landes‘ cover of Peter, Bjorn & John’s “Young Folks” I was rightly impressed. Though not something typically covered on this site, that being bluegrass, to this day I find it to be a thorn in the side of music that […]
- What Would You Do For Love?: Amy LaVere ()
There’s some strange romanticism I have with strong female leads and in the Amy LeVere story “Killing Him” I find myself helplessly falling for the passionate murderer. “Killing him didn’t make the love go away.” Can I say that I’ve never felt anything similar? Not really, in times gone by I’ve wondered what would happen […]
- New MTown Producer Alert! DJ STV SLV ()
As the internet grows it continues to develop its own unique sects, niches and cliques. Two such groups that have sprung up within the broad music blogosphere include sites dedicated towards the ever-vague terms indie rock and hip hop. One site, The Hood Internet, has found equal ground between the cultures using the atypical bootleg model […]
- An Atypical Traditionalist: Andra Suchy ()
There’s a rule of thumb that isn’t necessarily always true, but for those who have official biographies is often true: if said biography begins with a key to the pronunciation of your name you’ve probably lived a fairly interesting life. Like I said, not always but often true, and in the case of Andra Suchy […]
- Air “Mer du Japon” Video ()
There have been some fantastic music video releases this past month but it is this, “Mer du Japon,” by Air and Fujiya & Miyagi’s “Ankle Injuries” that I think explain why modern television has got nothing on the internet. Are these things even still played on TV anywhere? I don’t know…but what I do know […]
- Queens of the Stone Age: “Sick Sick Sick” Video ()
When I first heard the single I was a little taken back. While it’s overtly hard sounding I couldn’t get around the slow, almost dullness to the chops. Take a few weeks, a few dozen listens and it starts making sense. While it’s still not the better than, nor as easy a choice for a […]
- Convenient Distortion: The Early Years ()
“Rats” is such a lowly song for the better part of its running time, slowly chiming in with lyrics that further exasperating its already ready to burst tempo, “You’ve got me on my knees again.” The song comes to a head with an unusual psychedelic mixed bag of wavy distortion and feedback treats that seem […]
- What Are Your Top Five, All Time, Favorite Jimi Hendrix Songs? ()
When faced with such a dilemma as to having to define your favorite song by one of the most amazing musicians in history I figured it best to justify the top choice with a few alternate picks that also mean a lot to me. As such, when a good friend told me yesterday that her […]
- Clive$ter’s “Together Undone” ()
Though far from a stranger to Mashuptown DJ Clive$ter is a fresh name to me, and fresh is the truth when speaking of his “Together Undone” boot which was released last month. For the better part of the song there’s little inclusion of Eric B & Rakim’s “Paid in Full” but when the classic rhyme […]
- Fujiya & Miyagi: “Ankle Injuries” Video ()
In one way, this Fujiya & Miyagi video is entirely unique and reflects a building thought that I have which suggests that we are all worse off for not having a television station dedicated to playing music videos. In another, The White Stripes kind of did it first. Legos or dice, it still kind of […]
- Jarvis “Running The World” Video ()
Jarvis Cocker is the type of artist that I’ve long since built respect for but without entirely basing that respect in omnipresent fandom. I L U V loved “Common People” when it came out and at the time I believe I purchased the album through the bottomless pit known as Columbia House(random side note). Since […]
- Wilco’s “Impossible Germany” ()
Listening to music, just having it there simply as a supporting cast member in the scenes of your life is something entirely enjoyable and fulfilling all unto itself. Yet many times in life it unknowingly attaches itself to bits and pieces of your life, but until now I’ve had no Wilcostories. Today my Wilco story […]
- R. Kelly: New Album, New Single…Still Not in Jail ()
There’s little argument against R. Kelly’s talent – it’s there and no one is disputing that. The man is a baller and is always associating himself with a fine lineup of talent. Just look at the upcoming lineup for his upcoming release Double Up: Swizz Beats, Snoop Dogg, Chamillionaire, Nelly, T.I., Ludacris…and Kid Rock?…well, he’s […]
- Sometimes You’ve Got to Go Back Home: Copperpot ()
In all fairness – who hasn’t had KRS One lay down lyrics for a few songs for their largely unknown album? Hands? Psalm One? Not so much? I it would be fair to say that Chicago-based producer Copperpot might have very well pulled a coup with his sophomore release WYLA? in that it looks just […]
- Beastie Boys: New Music From “The Mix-Up” ()
The first time I had heard any of the new instrumental material was yesterday when the ol’ Stereogum unleashed “The Rat Cage.” I can understand why some fans might not be entirely receptive as, up until now, the entire album is expected to represent merely a niche of the group’s sound. Fortunately for me however […]
- Beastie Boys: More From “The Mix-Up” ()
Thought I’d take a second peak back at the Beastie Boys‘ site for the day and low and behold everything in the world has changed; well, not everything – but there’s a fresh video of the band in studio recording “Off The Grid.” It is Caucasi-funk at its peak: a guitar that sticks its head […]
- Noisettes “What’s the Time Mr. Wolf” Review ()
In April of last year when tracks were starting to roll out in anticipation of What’s the Time Mr. Wolf it seemed as though the Noisettes were attempting to maintain whatever positive publicity the band had incurred during its first years together. The group had released its Three Moods of The Noisettes EP to a […]
- Far From Fallen Apart: Jack Peñate ()
Jack Peñate plays with a careless party-like energy that made the masses love ska, not to fret though as Peñate lacks the trumpet-funk combination that lead to the downfall of ska and its three revivals. His songs, while easily grasped, and are written with such an innocence. “Got My Favourite…” is simply about his favorite […]