Author Archives: Akhil

The New Amerykah…

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(Song of the Day – 3/28/08)

I was hangin with a friend of mine the other day when he mentioned the new Erykah Badu album (New Amerykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War). I realized that I completely forgot. Actually, I’m about a month off…

Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, can let her soul out onto a recording like Badu. Her raw and unfiltered inner voice is shared with every listener creating an intimate, soulful and real connections.
Badu, while definitely holding her place within the music community has released an extremely strong set of albums that have been, in my opinion, grossly overrated over the past 10 years. Since Baduizm, her power as a poet and musician has grown. Badu exudes powerful feminine energy and continues to be a symbol of the strength of her community, be it women, black or simply a child of this world. Listening to her music does not make me feel better as a critic, but rather, it brings me to the level… and the connection is real.

For her latest masterwork, Badu strays away from the live soul setup to favor a studio approach, bringing in a wide variety of talented producers from across the spectrum. Personal favorites like Madlib, 9th Wonder and ?uestlove are joined by trip-masters Sa-Ra to create what is both real and other-worldly all at once. Dealing with “the issues”with such grace and integrity, Badu has it all contained. Never afraid to be progressive, Erykah Badu brings it once again. Syncopation and downtempo grooves flood the deep and layered tracks in such a way that many have been turned off by its esoteric nature, but the more time you spend with it, the more interesting it becomes.

MP3: Erykah Badu – “The Cell”

MP3: Erykah Badu – “The Healer/Hip-Hop”

MP3: Erykah Badu – “Soldier”

ErykahBadu.com | MySpace | HypeMachine

Pick up New Amerykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War: BandWear | iTunes | Amazon | Insound

After listening to the album I was truly hooked on her feel, her sound and her attitude once again. Then a friend of mine turned me on to her latest VH1 SoulStage performance I was totally in love. If you can treat yourself to one music-related activity today, hang out with this show. Back again in the live situation Badu explains that recording is “perfecting a moment” while live “is creating a moment.” You can feel the energy and the group is soooo tight that they shift tempo and structure on the fly, all in stride. It is one of the best performances I’ve seen online and makes me want to do whatever it takes so see her live. Please, PLEASE check it out. It is nothing short of beautiful.

If Erykah Badu is proof of anything, it is the power of real, honest music. Enjoy.

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=3hyDxwJB-4M[/youtube]

Check out the rest of the set HERE.

She is, without a doubt, one of the strongest, sexiest women alive… fake fro and all.

Song of the Day – 3/21/08

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WORD: “Hi this is Carl from Arrah and the Ferns. Thanks for the kind words, i’m glad you liked it. I just wanted to let you and everyone know that, sadly, we just broke up and will not be releasing a sophopmore album. We’re all continuing to make music in various other projects. Check out our myspace blogs for more info.thanks again, it means a lot
carl.”

Looking at upcoming releases this year, I realized that the sophomore album by Muncie, Indiana’s own Arrah & the Ferns would be dropping in just two months. It was good reason to get their 2006 debut, Evan is a Vegan, back out and give it a listen. I forgot how happy this is.

Arrah & the Ferns enjoyed limited commercial success afterwards, but maintained a satisfying impact on the music community with their upbeat indie-pop. Co-Lead singer Arrah Fisher’s voice is exactly that sound whose sonic structure makes the corners of your lips curl and injects a bit of sunshine in yr step.

The sound of a Rhodes is the perfect accompaniment to Fisher’s poetic lyrics as well as the swelling mandolins and guitars that bring the folk element cleanly into the mix. Not to be understated, Arrah and the Ferns are more than just a pop group. Pay attention to the subtleties and be rewarded. On the whole, Evan is a Vegan is not the contemplative, philosophical breakthrough that the world needs to hear, but its optimism, energy and wonder make it the perfect album to fill that “Boner Jamz 08: Happy Sunshine Rainbows” mixtape you want to give to your cute quazi-indie hipster girlcrush who works at that one coffee shop…

I loved Evan is a Vegan and can’t wait for May 2008’s All The Bad In One Place.

MP3: Arrah and the Ferns – “Science Books”

Home | MySpace | Hype Machine | Standard Recording Company (Audio, Media, Press)

Support Arrah and the Ferns: iTunes | Amazon | Standard Recording Company | eMusic

 

MP3: Arrah and the Ferns – “Bernadette”

MP3: Arrah and the Ferns – “Emo Phillips”

Here’s a video of em on Letterman:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaYRKH-4cig[/youtube]

Song of the Day – 3/14/08

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Hey everyone, sorry about yesterday’s “Post.” The Internet went out here and I couldnt Upload this post. Sorry about that. I love you all.

Hailing from The U.K., the Matinee Orchestra were a nice treat today. As I’ve come to find, this band has been the subject of a lot of critical praise, though no one really knows where they stand.

Aurgasm classifies them as “Laptop Folk” or “Avant Pop,” Now, if you’re like me and confused as all hell by the systematic genre-ization (?) of EVERYTHING, then let this be an undefinable curveball in your musical batter’s box.

“Fusion” is the best way to describe The Matinee Orchestra’s adventures into the world of sound. Combining pretty much everything from orchestral nuance to layers of echoing tape static, they could just as well be considered electronic and acoustic, progressive and traditional. A musical-impressionism of sorts, the group definitely “Makes it New.” I had a little trouble digging up substantial info on the guys, but leaving them as an enigma is just as good. I would recommend this for fans of everyone from the Album Leaf to Bjork. Take a nice long listen:

MP3: The Matinee Orchestra – “Imagination of a Watermelon”

MP3: The Matinee Orchestra – “Hide & Seek”

MP3: The Matinee Orchestra – “Run For Cover (It’s Going To Rain)”

Buy their Self-Titled Album | MySpace

Song of the Day – 3/1/08

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The Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane – At Carnegie Hall still stands as one of my favorite jazz albums of all time. Recorded in ’57 but released in ’05. Monk’s constant redefinition of the logic and pacing of music and Coltrane’s perseverence to discover never lose their brilliance or excitement for me. I finally went out and got the Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane album which was released in ’57 with a relatively short tracklist. A few friends had recommended this and I was not disappointed. It is nothing short of amazing to listen to these two geniuses work together.

Relatively unknown when these were recorded, the two continue to break ground and make some of the most beautiful, original and awe-inspiring music of all time. Subtlety is something that music sorely lacks these days and if some would just take the time to understand the power of rest and comping, music would see a boost in quality for sure… a boost in soul.

This particular set of songs were taken from a special session. Including one 9 minute solo Monk track called “Functional,” this is a spectaular array of talent and concentration for everyone involved. Some major highlights of my listening experience were from “Off Minor” and the ever pleasant “Epistrophy.”

MP3: Thelonious Monk & John Coltrane – “Epistrophy”

MP3: Thelonious Monk & John Coltrane – “Off Minor”

Amazon | iTunes

Here’s a little more Trane

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLlIuhLujvA[/youtube]

Rediscovering the Video: Vol. 2

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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLtfQdKppTY[/youtube]

MP3: Tim Williams – “Novel”

Directed by: Josh Horowitz

Basically created from tons of stills, the video above is a perfect example of bringing something new to the table. While it exists in a genre that has been seen and done, this video takes an interesting perspective and its movements draw you in.

One thing I’m always looking for is innovation in the world of the video. Being the visual accompaniment to music opens the doors to all kinds of style and oftentimes it’s the twists on the usual that make for the most striking video. Still, the possibilities are almost endless. Today, I’m sharing a few of the more innovative videos I’ve seen in a while.

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Song of the Day – 2/19/08

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The best 26 minutes and 39 seconds of my day were spent listening to The Antlers 2007 release, In The Attic Of The Universe. Shy of even thirty minutes, this musical journey is exactly the kind of work that leaves you wanting more. Every so often I would find myself trying to get into the mind of The Antlers (a.k.a Peter Silberman) and the song would end, giving way to yet another side of the multifaceted artist. Every one of the eight songs is wonderful. The album opens with the found noises of nature and, from there, weaves a masterpiece of sound that never truly quits and most definitely cuts to the core.

Not afraid to use a variety of different sounds together, he works to ensure the purity and as a listener, his desire to express himself unfiltered certainly shows. Silberman’s voice was a little surprising at first and is walking the line in such a way that some people may be turned off–but give it a chance, you won’t be disappointed. (Also, many of the tracks are instrumental).

This track from the middle of the album turned up while on shuffle and I was hooked from there.

MP3: The Antlers – “The Universe Is Going To Catch You”

My biggest grudge against the album is its brevity. The second track, “Look!” is only 1:56 and more than half is the setup. But the payoff is fucking sweet…

MP3: The Antlers – “Look!”

MP3: The Antlers – “The Carrying Arms” (Awesome.)

MP3: The Antlers – “When You Sleep (My Bloody Valentine Cover)”

Home | MySpace | Fall Records (Human Host, Page France) | Hype Machine

Pick up In The Attic Of The Universe from: iTunes | Amazon | Fall Records | eMusic

Pick up some more MP3’s (ep selections & covers) from The Antlers download page.

Also, here’s some of The Antlers side-project work: The Pet Ghost Project | Darby Cicci

Song of the Day – 2/18/08

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This just turned up in my library or something, but I’m truly glad I found it.

Charlemagne’s 2007 release, We Can Build An Island, is a raw, original album with a current of tradition running through. It’s a happy bit of twee rock and introspective shoegaze sharing the air with grunge and heartland rock mixed in.

Formerly located in Madison, Wisconsin, Carl Jones moved to New York and created the album, reminiscent of his previous group, NoahJohn, but with much more depth. It is an interesting creature that definitely doesn’t deserve to be sold short. The type of music they create is definitely something classic, but with a strong sense of vitality… and it makes all the difference.

MP3: Charlemagne – “First Day of Spring”

Charlemagne is not terribly complex or progressive in their songwriting. They call upon many tropes that are familiar to the listener and tease at the stylistic chord progressions of various generations. Hidden in the spaces, however, are the unidentifiable undertones that make the album feel honest, classic and truly, a pleasure.

MP3: Charlemagne – “Saturn Return”

Mp3: Charlemagne – “We’re Gonna Hate All Over This Town”

 

Home | MySpace | NoahJohn | SideCho Records | More Tracks @ Hype Machine

Get yoself some Charlemagne on: iTunes | Amazon | eMusic | SideCho

Here’s their video for “New Train”

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=uFKIGGrEbt0[/youtube]

Song of the Day – 1/24/08

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It actually started out as one of those jam things I was talking about, where I just had a few friends who wanted to play more and we talked about getting together once a week and just jamming. We did that once or twice and I was like, “This is boring, I’m tired of jamming.” I want to actually play some songs. It comes and goes, the moods of what kind of music I feel like making. Sometimes jamming is just dull and boring, so I started learning some songs. I want to do this forever. I’d love to have this going on always, just to keep in practice of playing and recording but you don’t have to write the songs. We’re still interpreting music. I feel very much super involved in it. I feel as excited about doing this stuff as I have about any Built to Spill things, and I feel its every bit as valid as a Built to Spill record. (via Pop Matters)

Words from the mouth of Built to Spill frontman Doug Martsch. Click below for more of the interview.

In 2006, Martsch sold 7-song discs of the Boise Cover Band album Unoriginal Artists on the Built to Spill tour that year. Why I hadn’t heard about it, I have no idea. But what I am certain of is this: This is a treasue.

The album consists of “reggae” covers of old soul tracks and even a little David Bowie. Since the release of You In Reverse Built to Spill have been touring constantly, but shy of the studio–this fills the void a little. If they are coming ANYWHERE near you, go see em. If you missed em, here’s the song of the day:

MP3: Boise Cover Band – “Ashes to Ashes (David Bowie Cover)”

This album is DEFINITELY worth the purchase: Newbury Comics | ShopIndi

More Doug Martsch related covers:

MP3: Boise Cover Band – “I Love You More (Lee Williams And The Cymbals Cover)”

MP3: Built to Spill – “Re-arrange (Gladiators Cover)”

MP3: Built to Spill – “Freebird (Lynyrd Skynyrd Cover) – Live”

and of course:

MP3: Built to Spill – “Cortez the Killer (Neil Young Cover) – Live”

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