808s and Heartbreak

We kind of strayed away from doing reviews a while back, and I felt that was fine cause the purpose of the blog isn't to tell people what music is good and what is bad, rather to expose people to new music that we believe is worth listening to. However, I felt like the new Kanye West album was so monumental and controversial, as well as applicable to lots of the stuff we typically write about here, that it was worth a mention.

When I first heard the premiere single from Kanye's newest release, 808s and Heartbreak, I thought "what the hell?". Upon hearing that the whole album would be comprised of tunes in a similar style I thought "this poor bastard's ego has finally consumed him". Long story short, when I sat down to listen to the album the first time I was not exactly going into it with the most open of minds. I was sure that it was going to reach a level of suck that most high school garage bands could only dream of. However, as I began listening my thoughts and impressions seemed to be best dictated by a line from the Simpsons (as are all things in my life) "I know what I hate, and I don't hate this".

It's easy to notice right away that the death of his mom and a failed relationship has temporarily soured Kanye's view of the world. Combine this with a jaded view of the current rap industry he helped produce and an overactive ego with a constant need to reinvent the wheel and you have Kanye's 4th studio release. There's more substance to this album than I would have predicted, both lyrically and musically. This album, more than any of his others, has shown me he understands music and knows how to layer and construct it into something powerful and moving.

On the other side of the coin though is the ridiculous production and gimmicky vocal editing which has seriously cut into the musical credibility of the album. In a way I felt like his ego really did consume him to the point where he thought the idea of having the entire album done with the auto-tune on the vocals was a good idea. The album reminds me of the way people described Vince's movie "Medellin" in the show Entourage. On the surface it's not really that impressive due to a controlling director/producer who became consumed by his ego and refused to listen to anyone on any aspects; but there's genius in there that could be exposed with some editing.

In summary its an interesting album, and definitely worth a listen for those of you (like myself) who originally panned it without trying it. Does it live up to everything it could be? No. Will I still be listening to this album as much as his others in 5 years? No. Is Kanye one of the the most talented musicians in the business today? Yes.

Normally I'd post some tracks to check out, but we all know those would get taken down in about 5 seconds, so you'll just have to check them out for yourself by legally *wink wink* obtaining your own copy of the album.

Now I can't let you go home empty handed, so I'll leave you with a track from Beyonce's kid sister Solange, who has a fairly decent neo-soul/pop album out. This isn't one of the album tracks, but rather just some random thing she made featuring my most favorite up and coming rapper Wale. Its kind of humorous to hear the sister of Beyonce do a big "screw you" song to the record industry when Beyonce is pretty much the token diva for said industry right now. You might recognize the beat as Dre's "Explosive" off The Chronic 2001, remixed with a little Kanye of course.

Solange Knowles - Fuck The Industry (feat. Wale)

- Alec

Happy Birthday Track Nine

Waaaay back on November 13th, 2006 this little music blog was started. The birthday wishes are a little bit belated, but I figure that's better than nothing. I really hope that you have been enjoying checking out some new tunes whether you think the bands terrible or the most amazing thing since the inception of the Milwaukee Brewers.

For this post, we're looking for a little feedback from you. Who actually reads this thing?? Do you want newer album reviews?? Do you hate soul music and think we should stop talking about it?? Do you think we should talk about Indian Bhangra and/or 60's psychadelic instead?? Do my posts suck and Alec's rock?? Do you think we should post twice a week?? Do you want to guest post??

We'd really appreciate it if you happen to read this blog even every once in a blue moon to drop a comment on this post and let us know what you like/what you don't. I think it would help us out to keep you interested, reading, and expanding your music horizon.

Thanks,
Kyle

Here's a couple tunes that I've been diggin lately....

Paul Weller - Broken Stones - - Just a solid, soulful tune in the vein of Bill Withers

Matt Pryor - A Totally New Year - - Better known as the lead singer of the New Amsterdams....the first track from his first solo CD, which is actually pretty solid.

Love You Moon

You'd think that being unemployed I would have plenty of time to listen to and write about music, and you'd be right. Yet somehow I find myself struggling to motivate myself to find new music let alone write about it. Perhaps living in my parents house in a room with no stereo system and a semi-reliable internet connection has something to do with it.

Today I present to you Love You Moon, the side project RX Bandits frontman Matt Embree. The "group", which basically consists of Embree and a couple guest musicians on some of the tracks released their debut album this fall entitled Waxwane.

I've written plenty before about RX Bandits and their amazing musical abilities, and Matt is a great guitar player and singer. I think this cd is a decent display of his skills, although being an acoustic album he limits himself from the beginning. The cd is full of his powerful vocals, and of course politically and socially charged songs. Also featured, a staple of the Bandits, are lots of complex rhythms and interesting chord progressions. Matt does a great job of varying up the styles and parts that the sound doesn't become stale; however, my one piece of criticism is that at times he tries to do too much with his acoustic and it seems a little overdone.

Overall its a solid disc, and if you are in anyway a Bandits fan I recommend checking it out. If not I at least recommend listening to "Late May's Gaze" which is a beautiful and moving ballad that I have become somewhat obsessed with lately.


Love You Moon - David's Birthday

Love You Moon - Late May's Gaze

Love You Moon - Why Pop Stars Sell Silicone

Happy Belated Thanksgiving

- Alec

Ray Charles (before he was Ray Charles)

I've got some nice relaxing tunes for you today... I'm sure most of you have heard of Ray Charles either from the recent film about him Ray!, or just from hearing your pops play his old records. Charles was one of the R&B/soul icons in the 1960's. He wasn't necessarily the greatest person in the world (heroin addict, fathered children to 7 women, etc.), but he sure put out a whole cache of memorable hits. Georgia on my Mind, Hit the Road Jack, I Got a Woman....just a few of his tunes that once you hear the title you can begin to sing.

Before Charles hit the top of the Billboard charts with his singing, he actually put out a couple of jazz records with buddy and jazz-vibraphonist extraordinaire Milt Jackson. Milt Jackson, along with Lionel Hampton are probably two of the most influential and famous vibraphonists of all time. Milt always felt a little bit smoother to me. With him you would want to kick back and smoke a cigar, but with Lionel you would sit up on your seat and hang on every note.

Soul Brothers/Soul Meeting is the name of the CD which combines two sessions that Jackson and Charles recorded. The first song, "Bags of Blue" is an 8 minute masterpiece where Jackson starts it off with some excellent vibe work. Ray Charles, who predominantly plays piano on this record then hops in with a little bit of saxophone. The traditional jazz swing keeps the number moving and after a while Ray hops back on the piano and riffs over the top of it all. "Deed I Do" is a more romantic-feeling tune where the vibes and piano seem to call back and forth to one another. It almost seems made for a man/woman singing duet. Enjoy!

Ray Charles and Milt Jackson - Bags of Blue

Ray Charles and Milt Jackson - Deed I Do

Fort Knox Five

Sorry for the delay in getting this post up but I've have kind of a crazy couple of weeks. For those of you that don't know, I was laid off from my job in Phoenix as part of some downsizing, and have decided to head back towards the great Midwest to look for work this time around. While being unemployed during a time of such economic difficulty and uncertainty is fairly disconcerting, I am looking at this as an opportunity for a fresh start and a chance to relocate to somewhere I would rather live (probably Chicago). Anyways, enough about me, to the music!

My post today is on the DC group Fort Knox Five. They create a wonderful style of hip hop/funk/latin music that is fun to listen to and great for parties. Similar to some other producer style cds such as Mark Ronson's Here Come The Fuzz or Intramural's This Is A Landslide , this cd features some guest artists to provide the vocals; however, many of the tracks are just bumpin instrumentals.

While the style on the cd varies quite a bit from song to song, I think one way to maybe describe it would be as a mix of Jurassic 5, Parliament Funkadelic and Ozomatli with bits of disco and electronica thrown in. You're thinking that doesn't make much sense? Well then just take a listen and check out these tracks from their 2008 release Radio Free DC.

Fort Knox Five - Insight

Fort Knox Five - Sao Funky (Parts 1 & 2)

Fort Knox Five - Uptown Tricks

Enjoy
Alec

Steel Train minus Scott?? Justin??

I hope things have been great for you 4 religious Track Nine readers... Things have been good in Atlanta, it's down to a brisk 60-65F on most days now, but that didn't stop me from going out last week to catch a pretty sweet concert. Two Track Nine favorites, Steel Train and Dear and the Headlights were playing at a small venue in downtown Atlanta for a crowd of about 40 or 50 loyal fans, haha.

Dear and the Headlights sounded good after the release of their 2 or 3 week old album Drunk Like Bible Times. The new disc brings a little more anguish, a little less foot-tappin, but a lot more crunch than their first release.

After they finished their set, Steel Train took the stage and what happened there marked the true end of an era. Scott or Justin or whoever the vocalist/pianist that I loved to listen play had apparently left the band (I asked the backup guitarist after the show and he confirmed my fear...). I say it's the end of an era because Steel Train has gone through so many transformations, and losing Justin means that there is really no way they will ever go back to or even play a lot of their old tunes. First, Steel Train was a fun-loving group of guys that played acoustic jams. They then turned into a jam-esque band that flowed freely into and out of songs with insane guitar solos followed by soft vocals backed by light instrumentation. Having now fully transitioned into a pop group, I don't think we'll ever see the old Steel Train ever again (not necessarily that it's a bad thing....Trampoline made my best of 2007 list!).

So...below I'm posting 3 tunes to remind me of the old Steel Train with Justin or Scott's (haha) super smooth voice caressing your ears. Enjoy!

Steel Train - Blown Away

Steel Train - Catch You On the Other Side

Steel Train - 1999

Sleepercar

Apparently my post about Sleepercar got deleted by the Blogger folks....

It started like this...

I spent this past weekend playing a little bit of Ultimate in the great state of Wisconsin. We were lucky because the weather was an absolutely perfect 75 and sunny on both days. Coupled with that was the fact that Wisconsin was just then blooming into an incredible autumn. Driving down the small two-lane highways in farm country with the leaves changing and falling all around the roads definitely made me feel a twinge of 'what the hell am I doing in the South'.

Basically they are a sweet rock-tinged alt-country band.

Check em out here.

http://www.myspace.com/sleepercarwesttexas

Wale

I feel my love for Chicago rappers has been well documented throughout the history of this blog. Kanye, Common, Rhymefest, Lupe Fiasco; these MCs have helped define the sound coming out of the Third Coast for the past decade where conscious rap and smooth flows have combined with soul samples and hip hop beats to create a powerful and moving style. It's a sound that has had its share of both club hits and critically acclaimed songs, and the next prince of Chicago Rap appears as if he's ready to emerge. Only one problem...he's from D.C.

Wale has been the buzz of the music community for a couple years now as everyone waits for him to bust out. I had heard the name many times before but had remained unimpressed for a long time until I finally took the time to actually listen to a couple of his mix tapes. Wow, "this kid is the next disciple of Kanye and Lupe" was my thought. Maybe its the fact that D.C. isn't known for its hip hop, but Wale definitely sounds more Chicago than east coast.

His latest mix tape, The Mixtape About Nothing, is a solid mix of songs that really demonstrate not only his MC skills but an ear for catchy beats and hooks. Yes it's a mixtape, so it must be taken with a grain of salt, but if these little glimpses of his skills are any indication of what is to come, I think there is plenty of reason to be hopeful. And with that, Wale is finally working on an actual album having signed originally with Track Nine favorite Mark Ronson's label "Allido" and now onto Interscope. The album is tentativley scheduled for a March 09 release, but til then we'll just have to get by with a couple mix tapes.

So what set Wale apart from other rappers? Well the most obvious thing when listening to TMTAB is his love for Seinfeld, which he makes very apparent with his incorporation of several audio clips from the show and even a shout out from Julia Louis Dreyfus. But he goes beyond that, also incorporating the clip from Michael Richards' infamous racist tantrum as an introduction for a song analyzing the various uses and stigmas of the use of the N-word.

Check out a couple of these songs from Wale and get an early taste of his writing and rhyming skills. And if you like what you hear just get on "the google" and look for his mix tapes to hear more. Chicago style is alive and well... on the East Coast.

The first two tracks are from TMTAN and really feature Wale's rhyming skills laced over some simple but strong beats. The last is his remix of the Justice classic "D.A.N.C.E."

Wale - The Perfect Plan

Wale - The Manipulation

Wale - W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E.


Enjoy

-Alec

Remembering The Get Up Kids

So Matt Pryor, the lead singer of Track Nine favorites The New Amsterdams just released his first solo album of his long and storied career. I've given it a few spins so far, and it hearkens back to his earlier New Amsterdams stuff. It's him, a guitar, some harmonies, and some slight production...very bare bones, very listenable, and quintessential Matt Pryor.

However, I'm not sure I can really say that it's 'quintessential' Pryor considering the New Amsterdams really began as a side project for all the songs that got thrown out by his first band, The Get Up Kids. Back in the late 90's, the TGUK were arguably the one and only band that really brought the genre 'emo' to the forefront. With Pryor straining his voice over songs about heartbreak and being 'so close', TGUK released 4 full-length albums over 10 years of pioneering the indie scene. In fact, back in 2005 Alec and I ended up road-tripping it to Kansas City to catch their last show ever. It was definitely sad...but it's great to see that the members are still making music.

Here are my three most memorable songs that they played at their final show in Kansas City.

The Get Up Kids - Don't Hate Me (from Four Minute Mile)
Right before this song Pryor mentioned that they had played it at every show they had ever done...except one. And that show sucked.

The Get Up Kids - Walking On a Wire (from On A Wire)
I felt that this was the most powerful song the entire night. It's simple and a little bit out there, but Pryor really gave it everything he had on the vocals during the show. It felt to me like he should have been utterly exhausted after putting all the emotion he did into singing it for the last time.

The Get Up Kids - Holiday (from Something to Write Home About)
This was obviously a crowd favorite from their 'arguably' best CD. Everyone went nuts when that first guitar slide was played, and the crowd didn't stop getting sweaty until the last note.

The Reign Of Kindo

I think I'm going to use Kyle's post as a segue into my post again tonight. One aspect of Sunfold that I think Kyle could have mentioned is their musical abilities and incorporation of elements of jazz into their style. These little bits of jazz infused stylings help give them a more unique sound and help provide some substance behind some of their pop influenced songs.

The Reign Of Kindo constructs their songs along these similar lines, only with a heavier reliance on jazz stylings. Rest assured that this type of "jazz rock" is not anywhere as bad as the name would make it sound. Yes, ROK teeters the line between well done fusion and crappy easy listening at times, but when done right they have a sound that can be comparable to an old Track Nine favorite Melee, back before they started sucking that is.

I think one of the stronger parts of the band and what really helps them separate their sound is drummer Steven Padin, who does a good job of sticking with jazz rhythms and techniques to compliment the sound and put his mark on it.

So give The Reign of Kindo a listen too after you check out Sunfold for a chance to hear some of the ways modern pop rock bands can incorporate elements of jazz to their sound to give the it more musical depth and separate themselves from the other bands out there.

The Reign Of Kindo - Something In The Way That You Are

The Reign Of Kindo - The Mystery Of Our Day

The Reign Of Kindo - Let It Go


-Alec

Sunfold

About a year ago Alec posted about the North Carolina indie band, The Annuals. This year, the members put out the CD Toy Tugboats from their side project called Sunfold. Whereas the Annuals are a more abstract indie band that will throw some less accesible songs your way, Sunfold really takes its pop sensibilities to heart. Where Sunfold differs from the pop you hear on the radio is in its subtleties.

Sunfold - Oregon
The song 'Oregon' begins with a very Mike Kinsella-like guitar lick (from the band Owen or American Football). I absolutely love the vocal melody to kick off this song. I think that I try and sing it every time in my room, but am somehow always about 2 octaves off... Harmonies begin to blend in the second time around, and then the song begins to open up and break out into some Mae-esque pop.

Sunfold - Sailed Off to Sea
'Sailed Off to Sea' brings the acoustic and slide guitars to hook all the ladies. This one is a genuine and heartfelt pop tune that you can play for your significant other when cruising home after a late night party. A very enjoyable tune indeed.

Sunfold - Sara the American Writer
The last tune I'll post is the breezy, 'Sara the American Writer'. This one comes closest to an Annuals tune with its transitions and slight background harmonies.

If you like indie pop, this is definitely one worth checking out....it could hit the top 10 for me at the end of the year...maybe it will for you too?

Enjoy!

-Kyle

Concert Review: Rx Bandits

You might remember I wrote a concert review for Rx Bandits about a year and a half ago following a show that Kyle, Andy and myself went to in Chicago. Well 18 months later they came through Tempe and I got a chance to see them again and it was infinitely better than the last time for the following reasons:

Rx Bandits were the headliners for a rock show - How Rx Bandits got on a ticket with Gym Glass Heroes, K-OS and P.O.S. is beyond me, but were quickly learned that hip hop concert goers are much more of the arm wavers than the mosh pitters type.

Not at the House of Bricks - The venue here, The Clubhouse, holds only maybe 400 people and the intimacy was great, not to mention for once the sound guy didn't have his head up his ass.

Not sold out - Not spending 30 minutes in the freezing Chicago cold trying to buy tickets on the street was one of the best things.

So onto the show. The line up consisted of only 3 bands, the Bandits and openers Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground and Portugal. The Man. Both Kay Kay and Portugal fall into the cateogory of "bands I've heard a little bit of, but never really liked enough to get an album and really listen to it." While that didn't change too much after seeing them, I did think both put on better live shows than their recorded music sounds.

As I mentioned before Rx Bandits were the headlining act for this show, and they used that billing to put on an almost 2 hr show full of energy, creativity, and crazyness. The venue was small but the crowd energetic. They played a nice mix of songs, mostly stuff from ...And the Battle Begun and Resignation, which is more their style nowadays, but they did bust out a couple tunes from Progress much to my surprise.

Their later stuff has really grown on me lately, and I've really been drawn to the creativity in their music, especially their percussive stuff. I think I've mentioned before how Chris Tsagakis is probably my favorite drummer, and he didn't disappoint in this show. He did some drum solos and back and forths with trombonist/percussions Chris Sheets which were pretty amazing as well. And when they finished the night with my favorite song "Decrescendo", bringing out members of the other bands on to a full stage party, it was a fitting end.

I'd recommend seeing the tour but this was the last show, so be sure to check out the bands, especially Rx Bandits if you haven't before. And if you have, then really listen to the drums on every song, you'll always hear things you didn't catch before.

Rx Bandits - Decrescendo

Rx Bandits - Taking Chase As The Serpent Slithers

Rx Bandits - A Mouth Full Of Hollow Threats

Alec

The Impressions

I think I'll stay along the soul lines of Kyle's last post tonight. I can't claim to have had the same year long devotion to the classic sounds of soul music that Kyle has, but my appreciation for the genre definitely has increased since '07. This new appreciation has led me to discover the magic that is The Impressions. Anymore the Impressions might be best known as the original group of Curtis Mayfield of "Super fly" fame, but the truth is that this is where Mayfield honed his skills, and where a lot of incredible music was made before his departure in 1970.

The gospel driven, smooth and soulful sound of The Impressions has really grabbed me lately, and while I still haven't had time to get through and listen to all their stuff (they have 10+ releases before Mayfield left), I already have some personal favorite songs. The songs that are my favorites combine their famously smooth harmonies with sweet guitar lines and funky horn licks that give the songs life. Their sound in the late 60s represented a shift away from some of the early doo wop sounds of soul on towards the soul/funk genre that would be led by Mayfield later on. Its the beginnings of the shift that represent some of their best work, almost like James Brown soul/funk but without the screaming and onstage antics, and with better harmonies.

These here are some of my favorite tracks from them that I think showcase some of the stuff I was writing about. While they're all great tracks, I especially recommend "Fool For You" and "We're A Winner".

The Impressions - Fool For You

The Impressions - Seven Years

The Impressions - We're A Winner

The Impressions - The Young Mod's Forgotten Story


- Alec

A Dash of Soul

Alec and I were recently talking about any new bands/genres that we had really been digging lately, and I realized that I'm still stuck on this whole soul thing. Sure, I have been digging some indie stuff, some post-hardcore, some hip-hop, some blues....but I think I have found my personal favorite genre over the past year or so. I think it's really because you can feel the heart in the albums. There is a desire and an idea that 'these words need to be heard' that just isn't found in today's 'pop-singles culture'. Since I haven't posted about soul in a while, I'll give you a three song sampler of some artists that I really like.

The Classic Example - Punish Me
The Classic Example put out a self-titled CD in 1972 that I have had on pretty much constant rotation for the past few weeks. The entire CD is fantastic (especially with the guy/girl vocals), but the song that really stuck out was 'Punish Me'. It begins with an uptempo piano riff and the male voice begging for punishment if he ever does anything to hurt his woman. Harmonies come in during the chorus, and I dare you not to tap your foot through the entire 2:47.

Sam Cooke - A Change Is Gonna Come
Sam Cooke's 'A Change Is Gonna Come' is one of the all-time great soul tunes, and also one of the most influential not only musically, but politically and socially. If you haven't ever heard it...listen...now. It's a compelling song about racism in America written during the 1960's, and how Sam believes that one day things will be better for everyone in the Land of Opportunity.

Rufus - Walkin in the Sun
The last tune is by the band Rufus, which features soul singer Chaka Khan. It's a very uplifting song that has a fairly poignant message, saying that 'even a blind man can tell when he's walking in the sun.' I take it as a song about self-realization and the fact that you should really open your eyes and see how good your life really is. There are some amazing harmonies in the chorus, and the rest of the song just glides pleasantly along your eardrums.

Enjoy!

Whoops

Apparently Lil Wayne's people (and by his people I'm guessing the good folks at blogger.com) weren't too fond of me posting some songs of his. I was going to repost it with the songs removed, but apparently the whole post is gone. The main point of it was that Lil Wayne is a much more talented artist than his hit songs such as "Lollipop" would suggest, and the album is worth a listen for its creativity.

I recommend checking out the songs "Mr. Carter (feat. Jay Z)", "Dr. Carter" and "Tie my Hands (feat. Robin Thicke)"

None of which are on his myspace account of course

Sweet, good talk

- Alec

Ferris

This is a guest post from my brother, Kurt, who currently goes to school at Wisconsin (second best school in the Big Ten). If anyone else wants to guest post, please send Alec or I an e-mail! We love to hear new stuff too.

With the Brewers creeping ever closer to the Playoffs for the first time since 1982, I can’t help from going to game after game at Miller Park. They probably want me to go to every game because as of now I’m 8-1 at Brewer games. Those car rides to the park lend for lots of music listening and this small startup band has caught my eye.

Based out of a suburb of the Twin Cities known as Apple Valley, Ferris has been playing since 2004 and has only grown since then. From recording their songs at one of their houses, they now are featured monthly at the Fine Line in Minnesota. The piano/ukulele/lead singer, Dustin Hatzenbuhler, has been writing and mixing their songs straight onto the Top Played lists of my iPod. The other members of the band: Ben Huhner (guitar/vocals), Kevin Burke (keyboard/vocals), Colin Burke (drums), and Jake Romero (bass), play smooth and easy rhythms and ease you into a nice relaxed mood. If you’re ever looking to play music to study to and then get stuck in your head, Ferris is the way to go.

The three songs that I’m putting up hit every spectrum that Ferris brings to the table. First up is ‘Fly’, which brings some thoughts of a funkier O.A.R. or Dispatch. I’ve grown to know and love the wa-ish guitar effects that keep you bobbing your head and feeling silky smooth at the same time. The second song is one I personally love because of the piano trickling throughout the song, especially during the end. ‘We Are Life’ has great lyrics and a beautiful sound to it. Lastly is ‘Where I’m Going’, which exposes more of Ferris’ talent. With a similar vibe to 'Fly' (less wah, more jangly piano), this will definitely get your foot tapping and wanting more.

And if you just can’t get enough and need more right now, their next concert is August 14^th at 9:00PM at the Fine Line in Minneapolis ($5.00 cover).

Ferris - Fly

Ferris - We Are Life

Ferris - Where I'm Going

-Kurt

Caspian

Kyle's last post about Owen and describing it as a good cd to put on while "cleaning your room" got me thinking about ambient/background music. While not a genre I listen to routinely, there are times where it fits the mood, and one of the cds I like to use on such occasions is "The Four Trees" by Massachusetts based Caspian. Their sound is a an ambient rock style which has heavier parts but tends to stay on the space rock side that is slower and drawn out. Oh and they're an instrumental group as well.

I'm not usually a huge fan of rock "instrumental" groups just as the genre itself doesn't seem to be musically interesting enough by itself to remove the lyrical aspect. Caspian is a nice exception, and I think part of this is that they don't try to overcompensate by becoming too experimental musically that the sound loses focus like other "post rock" groups. To be honest I think they aren't as experimental as they would like you think they are, but perhaps that's why I like their sound in a genre I don't normally listen to.

The music itself is good, and they do a nice job of incorporating different aspects and dynamics to their songs to add depth that isn't there from the lyrics. Because their style is very ambient and flows together nicely, I don't even really know what my favorite songs would be. I just tend to put it on and let it play. So instead of trying to pick any certain ones out and describe them, I'll just post a few random ones and let you decide.

Caspian - Crawlspace

Caspian - ASA

Caspian - Book Nine


- Alec

Owen

I hope that everyone had an amazing 4th of July. I got a chance to catch a few Brewer wins over the Pirates which was a beautiful thing. Then CC Sabathia got signed, the Cubs realized they had no chance, so they retaliated by signing a guy who goes on the DL 4 times per year. Nice.

Today I wanted to profile the artist Mike Kinsella's latest project, Owen. Kinsella has been in a ton of projects during his life from the rough-ish, emo 'Cap'n Jazz' to the chiller, more technical 'American Football' (my personal fav) to a few others, and now Owen.

First things first. If you are a person who watches American Idol religiously for people who can actually sing, Owen is probably not for you. Kinsella almost always sounds just a hair off key, which I think adds to his emo-ish feel of just a normal guy who sat down and wrote this song for a girl. In fact, 'Who Found Who's Hair...', the first song I posted from his CD, I Do Perceive, is probably exactly that. The lyrics are prototypical emo with the trashing of some girl based on the rumors he's heard, but if you can get past that, listen to how he puts his pieces together. At about 2:40 into the song he combines some electric noodling, distinct acoustic stumming, and a fade-in electronic beat with incredible results.

The second tune I put up has a little more get-up, but that's really about as far as Owen ever goes. If you are waiting for it to explode, you are waiting in vain. He brings back the semi off-key singing, but I really like the moods that this song takes you through. It goes from a bouncy instrumental to a very subdued verse and then it feels like a weight is lifted off his chest when the song goes back into an airy guitar line.

Let me know if you dig it. Play Owen's I Do Perceive it in the background when you are reading or doing some work around your room. It's outstanding.

Owen - Who Found Who's Hair in Who's Bed

Owen - That Tattoo isn't Funny Anymore

The Remix

I need to confess another guilty pleasure of mine lately. I know the remix fad has been around for a long time but I've been drawn back to it recently with the concept of remixing hip hop and R&B songs (read: club songs) into techno and electronic songs (read: Euro club songs). I don't really know why, but for some reason I've been drawn to this mini genre of remixes lately and therefore have spent my time recently looking for remixes (and there are plenty of bad ones out there let me tell you) rather than good new bands.

Maybe it was the techno/club music from South America a couple months ago or something, but I find it really interesting how DJs are able to take songs that are popular in North America and able to rework them to sound like hit songs from other places (i.e. Europe). So my post today features some of the better reworks of songs I've found recently. The first one "American Boy" is the one that started it all off. I've been obsessed with this remix; the upbeat techno beat combined with the sped up Kanye West verses just becomes addicting. Furthermore, if you're not familiar with the song be sure to check out Estelle who is lighting it up across the pond with her release Shine featuring tracks by a who's who of top American hip hop producers (there that's a legit rec for you).

Estelle (feat. Kanye West) - American Boy (DJ Benzi remix)

The other ones are a couple of my other favorites, and I'm sure you'll recognize the originals. I think its pretty interesting how the various DJs have taken the songs and broken them down and put them back together along with their own elements to make them fit another genre of music. The One Republic remix might be a little over the top, but I think its unique in a way to hear all the stereotypical techno/electronica tricks and effects applied to such an American sounding song.

Rihanna - Umbrella (Seamus Haji and Paul Emmanuel remix)

One Republic (feat. Timbaland) - Apologize (Peter Rauhofer Remix)

Usher - Love in this Club (MSTRKRFT remix)

And finally, I can't do a post on remixes without mentioning the fact that the king of remixes, Girl Talk, has released his new album which is available here for whatever price you feel like paying (I chose zero dollars. Actually to be honest I still downloaded illegally from a 3rd party...beam me down Satan. Hey with his success he was able to quit his engineering job, I shed no tears for him).

Ok enough of this euro trash, time to celebrate the 4th of July. America! Fuck Yeah!

- Alec

Living in the South

I've been in Atlanta for about a week and a half now, and you know what....it's already starting to really grow on me. There are so many fantastic places to eat (especially southern soul food and bbq), there are people constantly outside, and pretty much everybody says hello to you on the street. Granted, the pace is definitely a little bit different down here, but sometimes it can be quite refreshing. You all should come visit at one point...

Speaking of Georgia, I put together three songs about the South/Georgia for you to listen to. The first is a Neil Young classic called Southern Man. Young busts out his electric guitar, harmonizes with his bandmates in the choruses, and just belt out the verses with his nasal voice. The interplay between the piano and his guitar throughout the song is quite cool. When I think Neil Young, this is one of the first tunes I really think of.

The second tune is the Ray Charles classic 'Georgia on my Mind'. If you haven't ever heard this, you need to. Opening with some nice strings, the song gracefully falls down into Ray's soothing voice crooning about his mind always wandering back to Georgia. Take this one out when the moon is shining over a Georgia plain and slow dance until the sun rises.

The last tune is the 'bastardization' of the Ray Charles tune with Ludacris's version called 'Georgia'. My roommates said that this had to be my new theme song, so I guess it is for a while. They sample the old Ray Charles tune and add a lot of verses about how badass Georgia is. It's actually not a very good tune, haha....but it's kind of fun to bump on the way to a Braves game.

Enjoy!

Neil Young - Southern Man

Ray Charles - Georgia on My Mind

Ludacris - Georgia

Pinback

I did something a few weeks ago that I haven't done for years. I heard one song from a band, liked it, and then went out and bought the cd. It's not the buying part that was different, haha....it was the fact that I had only really ever heard one tune from this band. I get the feeling that back in the 90's that was pretty much how everyone bought CD's. "Oh, I like this song....I'll get the CD." It's amazing that even in my short life the music industry and how people buy music has changed so drastically.

Pinback, hailing from San Diego, got me hooked with their song 'Good to Sea'. I then picked up their Autumn of the Seraphs disc at some local record shop in Atlanta. When I popped it into the car, I was half-expecting all crappy songs except for the one I heard (just like the old days), but I was pleasantly surprised. Pinback has a bit of a 'mathy' feel to them (see Minus the Bear or Gatsby's American Dream), meaning that they sound very technical and keep things in very distinct time signatures.

'Good to Sea' is a very simple song. Listen to it and try not to get it stuck in your head...especially the little backup-vocal 'echos'. 'Barnes' brings out the technical, mathy side to Pinback with intertwining bass and guitar lines to kick the song off. It then collapses into a breezy pop riff before returning to the previously heard strict bass line. The last tune 'Subbing for Eden' is the most indie-oriented of the three. You can hear hints of Elliot Smith in the muted vocals, but the marching cadence of the bass keeps you really thinking Pinback. Let me know if you dig it!

Pinback - Good to Sea

Pinback - Barnes

Pinback - Subbing for Eden

Dillo Day 2008

It's that time of year again, when Northwestern students throw down the books and go crazy for one day. And by go crazy I mean party in ways similar to most regular college students on any given weekend. And by Northwestern students, I mean the Northwestern 500 plus a few others; everyone else will still harbor away in libraries somewhere.

Though I'm no longer really connected to Northwestern in any way, I'm making a pilgrimage back for the weekend festivities, as is Kyle. This year's line up looks to be pretty strong again, and overall I think there's been an increasing trend in the quality of groups they've been bringing in each year. Last year's line up was really strong as well, but unfortunately the day was somewhat marred with crappy weather that pushed the concerts indoors and meant only students with Wildcards could attend. I had been planning on catching some of my favorite acts such as Cake, Lupe Fiasco, and the Roots, but when my non-NU buddy got rejected trying to use someone else's Wildcard we returned home and instead I just drank my face off (and all subsequent scenes are missing).

However this is a new year. Headlining this year's Dillo Day is none other that one of Chicago's best rappers in Common. This is without question my favorite headliner they've had since I started going to Dillo Day. Common is one of my favorite hip hop artists and I can't wait to see him live. I still rank his album Be as one of my favorite, if not the favorite, hip hop albums.

The other acts for the day include Third Eye Blind, Broken Social Scene, and The Cool Kids. I think they've done a good job of getting a diverse group of performers to appeal to different people. Third Eye Blind is a great act for drunk kids who want to belt out their favorite songs from middle school (as long as they don't play any new crap) and Broken Social Scene are well established in the artsy indie genre that college kids seem to enjoy these days. The Cool Kids are the one group I question how well they will be received mostly cause I don't think people know much about them (myself included).

There are also a couple DJ groups to fill in the gaps as well. One is Chicago duo Flosstradamus, who will be spinning their up tempo beats with lots of catchy samples and hooks. Another is Northwestern's battle of the DJs winner Clash Gordon, who gets the opportunity to open for Common. As I was perusing the music acts for this year I gotta say that Clash Gordon proved to be a pleasant surprise. Clash Gordon is a Northwestern student majoring in music technology or something like that and has modeled himself in the mold of Track Nine favorite Girl Talk. Despite being a young DJ, I was impressed with his abilities and most importantly his ear for hearing how songs should come together.

Just like Girl Talk, his hook is putting together clips from songs in completely different genres and turning them into something new. Now this is nothing unique, and there are thousands of DJs all over the internet doing the same thing. But most of the stuff released is just not good, and it really takes an ear to be able to put the clips together into something unique and interesting. When I originally heard they had a battle of the DJs, my first reaction was that the winner would be terrible, but now I am actually excited to go hear Clash Gordon and see how he does live.

If I actually manage to stumble out there in time...

If you're still in Evanston I hope you are planning on partying and enjoying music all day this Saturday, and hopefully I will be joining you. If not at least check out the groups here, its pretty good quality all around.


- Alec

The Controls

Somewhere in underground New York circa 1999, The Controls released a legend of an album called One Hundred. Somewhere in Kingston, Canada circa 2002 my roommate Steffonn stumbled across it and played it repeatedly enough that it became one of his favorite albums. And then circa March 2008 in Pittsburgh, Steffonn bought the album and spun it a few times in our place. Now I'm addicted as well.

I've been slowly getting into more and more house music (maturity? I don't know...), and there are certain artists that really get me to nod my head. The Controls have a little bit of Portishead in them, and the laid back flow of an album you'd hear at your local trendy lounge with a $15 martini in hand. The beats in One Hundred are definitely the focal point of a lot of the songs. What really makes this album unique are two things. First, the singer's voice seems to float up into the air like smoke from a cigarette. It's sensual and yet attention-grabbing at the very same time. The Controls also incorporate a unique backing of sounds from synth keys to car horns to classical guitars.

The track 'Shadow of A Man' showcases a lot of the things I mentioned earlier. The silky singing, some small classical guitar licks in there, and a heavy beat that keeps you right on pulse with the song. 'Terrified of Nothing' begins with a smooth guitar line and train horns. The beat slowly fades in complementing the singing that almost gets up to a hip-hop speed. This is my favorite track on the album. A little flamenco complements the last track I posted called '100'. This one has a more electronic, snappy feel to it. Along with some synthesized voices and a crisp synth-beat, some harmonies evolve throughout the tune. Crank it up to max volume and leave in on in your house as background. Soon enough...you'll be addicted too.

The Controls - Terrified of Nothing

The Controls - Shadow of A Man

The Controls - 100

Heiruspecs

I'm a little short on new stuff to write on right now, so instead I'm opening up the vaults and posting on a very underrated hip hop group out of the Twin Cities that I've been listening to a lot again lately. The group is known as Heiruspecs, and they have been making great hip hop for about 10 years now. But these guys aren't you're standard hip hop act; they actually play instruments and perform as a live band. It's right along the same lines as The Roots only with a bigger influence of funk in the songs.

Personally, I really dig the stripped down, basic sound of Heiruspecs. It really pushes them musically as they have a lot less to work with when only using a drum set to create the beats. Their songs vary quite a bit as they range from up beat funk tunes to slower, darker, more driving songs. Overall though the music behind the songs provides for great backing tracks, and the rhymes provided by primary MC Felix and his partner Muad'dib flow smoothly on top.

Despite musical and lyrical talents, the group has never found success in the mainstream. I guess really this doesn't surprise me given the recent trends of hip hop and rap in general, but it's really a shame because I think a lot of people have missed out on their stuff. They haven't been the most prolific of bands over the past decade though. In 10 years of existence they've only produced 3 studio albums, two of which I have, and 2 live albums. Their last true studio album, A Tiger Dancing, came out in 2004, which was about when I first heard of them. So essentially they've put out almost nothing since then, with the exception of their 2007 live album which contained some new tracks as well as old ones. Rumor has it they are working on a new album, but other than that I have no info.

But until then there are still plenty of great tracks from their two main albums, Small Steps and A Tiger Dancing. The first song, "5ves", is one of their strongest and was the only one of theirs to ever receive any attention. It has a cool, steady vibe with a great keyboard hook. The other two are great examples of them employing catchy funk-style beats and bass lines to give the songs life.

Heiruspecs - 5ves

Heiruspecs - Work

Heiruspecs - All Fall Down


- Alec

Moving with Van Morrison

Well....I just found out today that in mid-June I'll be moving to Atlanta. Pretty exciting news for me. It's kind of ironic that when I was a little kid, that was pretty much the only place in the world I wanted to move so I could watch my favorite baseball player, David Justice. Now, it's a reality.

I wanted to post on my favorite ATL artist or something like that...but we already posted on T.I., so I went a different route. This one is about Van Morrison. I never really listened to Van Morrison until the past few months after I got a copy of Moondance. This is actually thanks to my friend Meg, who in High School snuck a few Van Morrison tracks onto my computer. I would listen to them now and then, and suddenly a few months ago I was addicted so I picked up Moondance.

There is a reason that this CD is so highly rated on Amazon by so many people. If you have not listened to it...you should. It's an absolute classic. Van Morrison's unmistakeable voice is complemented so well by the guitar, piano, and horns throughout. 'And It Stoned Me' was the song that Meg stuck on my computer a long time ago, and I love it because it feels just like a breezy summer night. However, there is no better tune than 'Into the Mystic'. This is one of those tunes that if you would hear it anywhere, I think that you would immediately drop all that you are doing just to listen for three minutes. It's a great song about being together with someone you love, and singing doesn't get much more real than when Van Morrison wails 'I want to rock your gypsy soul!' for the second and third times.

So for you old Van Morrison fans, dust off this CD and pop it in one more time. Rediscover what you loved. For you new ones like me, catch up 18 years, give it a spin, and let me know what you think. I know I'll be sitting on my wraparound porch on many a summer night in Atlanta chilling to this tune.


Sorry, guys...song links had to be removed at the request of the label. Go buy the CD!

Check out his new stuff here.... http://www.losthighwayrecords.com

We Are Scientists

Sorry for the lack of posts recently. With both Kyle and I traveling so much recently it made it difficult to post anything. I've returned now after 2 weeks of vacation in South America. I must say that it is an amazing continent (Argentina and Chile at least) and I highly recommend it as a vacation destination. I've been journaling about it here if you care to read.

Anyways, on to the music. The amount of time I spent on planes and buses the past two weeks gave me a chance to listen to quite a bit of music. I'll just focus on one cd that I've really been into recently. The band is We Are Scientists. The album is Brain Trust Mastery, released about a month ago.

The way I would describe the album is to say that if you asked someone to combine the music of the past 25 years into one album, this is what it might sound like. Their sound has big influences of 80s new age, 90s pop, and 2000 indie movements all rolled together. I think it really comes together well and offers a little for fans of all of the different genres. I like the fact that they incorporate some synth and electronic sounds, but it's not overdone. They also get big points in my book for not using one of my least favorite musical instruments of all time; the electronic drums that were so popular in the 80s.

Personally, I think the strongest track is easily "Let's See It", which has a great guitar riff and upbeat tempo that's impossible to not like. If you're looking for a summer anthem, I suggest checking out this song. Every time it comes on in the car I make sure the windows are down and the systems cranked (spring in Arizona is basically the same as summer anywhere else anyways).

That's not to say the rest of the album isn't solid as well. There's a nice diversity in the tracks and the album doesn't become repetitive or boring. I'll put up a couple other tracks to give you more of a taste, but I definitely recommend checking out the whole album. I know its early, but this is one of the strongest albums I've heard from '08 so far.

We Are Scientists - Let's See It


We Are Scientists - Spoken For


We Are Scientists - Dinosaurs


-Alec

Minus the Bear

I'm heading to Germany tomorrow for a little bit of a cross between pleasure and work. Pleasure in the fact that I have the weekends on both ends...work during the week in between. And by work I hopefully mean shaking hands and drinking Kolsch beer. Haha, I somehow doubt that. What connects Minus the Bear to Germany? Well, when I lived in Switzerland, Menos El Oso by Minus the Bear was one of my favorite albums.

Menos El Oso is a great album to walk around and people watch to, stare out of trains and watch the scenery go by to, and headbang in your underwear to. The album is a little bit of a darker indie. Electronic beats mixed with an actual drummer provide the backbone. An almost monotone singing makes the songs 'pulse' along to keep your pace up on your 'people-watching' walk. I also really like that they are a little bit mathematical in their indie-rock. What I mean by that is that they don't always hit their notes right on the 4/4 beat. They mix in backbeat feels, sped up fills, and timing that keeps you guessing.

'Memphis and 53rd' is one of my favorite tunes. It incorporates a lot of the themes that I mentioned before, adds some ambience, and supplements with some tight guitar licks. 'Pachuca Sunrise' is a little bit sunnier than most of the tracks on the album...maybe it's just the name? It adds more of an upbeat, pop element to an otherwise darker sounding CD. 'The Game Needed Me' is the opener that will bring you back to the true Minus the Bear feel...silky, pulsing, a little bit off kilter, and brilliant.

Minus the Bear - Memphis and 53rd

Minus the Bear - Pachuca Sunrise

Minus the Bear - The Game Needed Me

Felt (Slug & MURS)

We haven't done much on rap or hip hop lately here, so that's where I'm headed with my post today on the group Felt. Once again this isn't anything new, but rather a group I only just discovered within the last few months. What makes this kind of odd is Felt is made up of artists I already knew of, just never knew they worked together. So what is felt? Its a collaboration between Minneapolis based MC Slug of the renowned group Atmosphere and LA MC MURS. I've known both of these artists separately for a long time, but was surprised and also impressed when I found their 2005 collaboration Vol 2: A Tribute to Lisa Bonet.

A little background - Felt started as a collaboration between Slug and MURS after arguing about who could hook up with Christina Ricci first. That argument spawned 2002's release A Tribute To Christina Ricci, which I haven't listened to as of yet (mostly out of laziness to go and download it). Anyways, a subsequent argument involving Lisa Bonet of The Cosby Show fame led to their latest album. The difference from their first album was that Ant, the DJ and other half of Atmosphere, signed on as producer. This in effect made the album an Atmosphere release plus the addition of MURS.

Atmosphere is good. MURS is good. Put them together and you get something really good right? Well, in a way - yeah. I wouldn't say that this stuff is a lot better than anything either artist has done separately, but I think its on par with their other stuff. One of the things I've never loved about Atmosphere is that its just one MC, Slug, and they rarely use guest MCs. People make fun of rappers for having a ton of guest artists on their albums, but there's a reason (besides just trying to make more money) behind it. I think that it has to do with the way a single rapper on a song can become monotonous, so it helps to have that second or third voice. In this case, MURS provides the perfect foil to Slug. His laid back west coast style contrasts really well with Slug's aggressive midwest delivery, a staple of Minneapolis hip hop style he helped craft.

There's a couple weaker trackers on the album that I find myself skipping occasionally, but overall its a really good album. I had some trouble deciding which tracks to actually post. Both artists stay true to their identities; MURS constantly chasing women, and Slug with his self destructive behavior. The beats laid down by Ant are pretty similar to his Atmosphere stuff, and does a nice job of varying up the songs. To be honest, if these guys decided to make this collaboration their priority rather than their separate groups I would be all for it. I doubt that will happen, but at least they've managed to put out some quality music, and hopefully they'll get together for another album in the near future.

Felt - The Biggest Lie


Felt - Marvin Gaye


Felt - Dirty Girl


With that I leave you in hands of my trusted assistant Kyle. I'm off to dance Tangos and eat cheap steaks in the beautiful country of Argentina for 2 weeks.

- Alec

ps - the new Atmosphere cd comes out April 22nd.

Alberta Cross

I hope everybody's Easter was great and that you are all pumped to be able to wear t-shirts outside pretty soon. I am actually in Mexico right now for the first time ever, chilling in my room after a long day of work meetings and eating interesting food. As for music...

Lately I've been putting my iPod on at a few chill parties and it never fails...somebody always comes up and asks me, "Hey, who are these guys?" when Alberta Cross comes on. In fact a few times, the same person asked that question during multiple Alberta Cross songs. I'm pretty sure they rarely remember the name after the drinks start flowing, but their EP The Thief and the Heartbreaker has been a pretty popular disc around here.

What they bring to the table is a roots-y style of rock with an edge of psychadelica and a tinge of alternative country straight from London. The title track begins slowly with the bass and drums, kicks in a little guitar line, and then opens up into a slower psych-rock feeling. The strained singing cuts over a hushed band, and then the choral harmonies take over with the band returning in full force. It's really cool to hear how they transition and crescendo between song segments. The second track, 'Lucy Rider' is the one people ask about most of the time. A swinging guitar line starts it off, and then the song glides comfortably along with the familiar high-pitched singing. It's a very simply written verse-chorus-verse kind of tune but it's incredibly effective. Next time you're hanging out with some friends on the patio with a couple of beers, pop this 7 song EP in. And then....get ready for questions.

Alberta Cross - The Thief and the Heartbreaker


Alberta Cross - Lucy Rider

Slender Means

Hailing from the musical hot bed of the northwest, Slender Means is one of the latest in a long line of successful music acts from Seattle. The group has been around for a couple years now, but I just recently discovered them. Their discography is pretty limited so far, consisting of just a debut album, Neon & Ruin (2005), and an EP, Rock&Roll Machine (2007), but the stuff they have put out has caught my ear.

The band's claim to fame is simply their song writing abilities. Their style of indie rock is simple and sweet, lacking the big time production effects of popular music, and the avant garde experimentalism of much of indie music. It's your basic indie rock, although I think the catchy hooks and melodies implored give it a slightly poppy side. There's a retro feel to their sound, kind of an oldies feel (almost like "Buddy Holly" by Weezer, but less cheesy) that mixes with a more aggressive tendencies to create an interesting dynamic. But even with the music picks up and the emotion rises, lead singer Josh Dawson seems to always remain calm and under control, just letting the music come to him.

As I said before, they really rely on the strength of their songs. Despite using traditional instrumentation, and not really pushing the musical envelope in terms of styles, they manage to write songs that are catchy yet unique. Its solid music that will entertain without overstimulating and stick in your head without annoying you to death. So check out Slender Means.

Slender Means - Telepathic Lovesick Heart


Slender Means - The Clerk


Slender Means - Foreign Legion



Happy Easter
-Alec

Tony Joe White

So I'm starting to get excited. Baseball is almost here, the weather is starting to get nice, and I'm about to move cities once again. All good things. I can't wait to grill that first brat of the season. But onto the music, which is what all 3 of our regular visitors come here for.

Imagine yourself in a tiny, smoky club with all the regulars. Then this funky bass rhythm kicks in, a low voice starts growling lyrics about having soul, and everyone stops sipping their drinks and turns their heads to listen a bit closer. That's the feel I get when you pop in Tony Joe White's disc, Black & White. His voice is low and has a little croon to it, his wah-guitar makes you want to shake a little bit (but not too much), and the simpler songs bring you in real quickly.

The first tune is called 'Soul Francisco'. It begins with a little guitar wail and then kicks into Tony's dreams about going to San Francisco. The clicking of the hi-hat mixed with the congas keeps it low, but Tony's guitar always threatens to break the song open just a little bit. Then, just as low-profile as it came in, it fades away. The second tune 'Don't Steal My Love' mixes rhythm guitar with mini-solos. Tony finally begins to break open a little bit when he yells "Don't Steal My LOVE!", but then he fades back into the mist with his guitar. Incorporating a little harmonica in 'Scratch My Back', Tony showcases a few more of his talents. I love how the drummer rides on the cymbal during the harm solo and keeps pushing the tune right along. Enjoy!

Tony Joe White - Soul Francisco


Tony Joe White - Don't Steal My Love


Tony Joe White - Scratch My Back