30 April 2009
29 April 2009
Dubstep is officially cool
I think I'm gonna have to save a space in the year-end Top 10 for this one...
First off, don't hate Martyn for spelling his name with a "y"... he's Dutch, they do that. Because once you get past that, you'll hear an album that's going to win quite a few new converts to Dubstep. The tunes tend to be more on the 2-Step, dance-y side as opposed to the heavy, dubby, wobbly side... but what really makes this record stand out is... well, I don't have the exact words for it, but it kinda sounds like what I'd imagine an Orbital Dubstep record would sound like. Catch my drift?
Burial set 'em up for me, now Martyn, Benga and Boxcutter have knocked 'em down. I've never been much of a genre-hopper, but I gotta say that the last "new" style that won me over like this was the Drum & Bass, which I like to this day even though no one in the U.S. listens to it anymore. Dubstep even has it's own playlist in my iTunes now, which is a big deal... to... okay, to nobody, but still... good on ya, Dubstep... keep it coming...
First off, don't hate Martyn for spelling his name with a "y"... he's Dutch, they do that. Because once you get past that, you'll hear an album that's going to win quite a few new converts to Dubstep. The tunes tend to be more on the 2-Step, dance-y side as opposed to the heavy, dubby, wobbly side... but what really makes this record stand out is... well, I don't have the exact words for it, but it kinda sounds like what I'd imagine an Orbital Dubstep record would sound like. Catch my drift?
Burial set 'em up for me, now Martyn, Benga and Boxcutter have knocked 'em down. I've never been much of a genre-hopper, but I gotta say that the last "new" style that won me over like this was the Drum & Bass, which I like to this day even though no one in the U.S. listens to it anymore. Dubstep even has it's own playlist in my iTunes now, which is a big deal... to... okay, to nobody, but still... good on ya, Dubstep... keep it coming...
28 April 2009
RZA straightens it out
Some sample source fun today... I hope at least some of you get the Interwebs in your Swine Flu (Gaaaaaaah!) shelters....
O.V. Wright was a relatively lesser known but heavily sampled Memphis Soul singer. One of the folks who sampled him was RZA, which is probably why he's on this compilation of tracks sampled by Wu Tang. Took me a while to put that together, but I'm like Sherlock Holmes, yo. And... I don't really have a heck of a lot more to add today, so check it out...
What's that you say? You want to hear what the RZA did with it? Okay, fine... the track was on one of those "Red Hot" compilations... you know, the ones where they hate the AIDS...
Due to the shit nature of this new player I've been using, I can't seem to post two of them in one entry. I hope GoEar starts working again... grrrr... it's a good tune, though, so just download it already. 'Til tomorrow...
O.V. Wright was a relatively lesser known but heavily sampled Memphis Soul singer. One of the folks who sampled him was RZA, which is probably why he's on this compilation of tracks sampled by Wu Tang. Took me a while to put that together, but I'm like Sherlock Holmes, yo. And... I don't really have a heck of a lot more to add today, so check it out...
O.V. Wright - Let's Straighten It Out (ysi)
What's that you say? You want to hear what the RZA did with it? Okay, fine... the track was on one of those "Red Hot" compilations... you know, the ones where they hate the AIDS...
Due to the shit nature of this new player I've been using, I can't seem to post two of them in one entry. I hope GoEar starts working again... grrrr... it's a good tune, though, so just download it already. 'Til tomorrow...
27 April 2009
Swine Flu! Eeeeeeep!
Swine flu! Run for the hills!!!
Phew, just felt the need to mention that. Anyhoo, before we get to todays tune, I need to direct you to Interwebs site Simple Harmonic Motion, where you will find an all-new exclusive Tonegent Podcast. The mix is called 'Bout Soul, and it's 68 minutes of Soul Jazz fire, if I may say so myself. While you're there, check out all of the other podcasts, too. I did, and they're very tasty...
So this one's kinda cool... Marc Mac, who is one half of the excellent 4Hero, takes the remixifier to some old Blues records from the Chess Records archives... funkiness ensues...
My Googling seems to tell me that finding a physical copy of this is damn near impossible, so you may need to get a little, shall we say... downloady to enjoy the whole album... just sayin'...
P.S. Swine Flu! Gaaaaah!
Phew, just felt the need to mention that. Anyhoo, before we get to todays tune, I need to direct you to Interwebs site Simple Harmonic Motion, where you will find an all-new exclusive Tonegent Podcast. The mix is called 'Bout Soul, and it's 68 minutes of Soul Jazz fire, if I may say so myself. While you're there, check out all of the other podcasts, too. I did, and they're very tasty...
So this one's kinda cool... Marc Mac, who is one half of the excellent 4Hero, takes the remixifier to some old Blues records from the Chess Records archives... funkiness ensues...
Marc Mac - See Me Smile (ft. Etta James) (ysi)
My Googling seems to tell me that finding a physical copy of this is damn near impossible, so you may need to get a little, shall we say... downloady to enjoy the whole album... just sayin'...
P.S. Swine Flu! Gaaaaah!
24 April 2009
What the kids dig in Dubai
This edition of House Music Friday ventures away from the usual deepness into more big-room territory...
Much like just about every other post here at Tonegents, today's is a bit light on the info. All I know is that Afroboogie is a producer from South Africa who spends most of his time in Dubai opening for some of your least favorite Progressive House DJs, playing for crowds of (I assume) douchebag ex-pats. Not that there's anything wrong with that... I'm sure it pays handsomely. The track is a dark, tribal affair that I'm sure has found a home in the bags of people like John Digweed, whom we do actually like...
It can't all be Rhodes chords and sax solos, now. Have a great weekend, you...
Much like just about every other post here at Tonegents, today's is a bit light on the info. All I know is that Afroboogie is a producer from South Africa who spends most of his time in Dubai opening for some of your least favorite Progressive House DJs, playing for crowds of (I assume) douchebag ex-pats. Not that there's anything wrong with that... I'm sure it pays handsomely. The track is a dark, tribal affair that I'm sure has found a home in the bags of people like John Digweed, whom we do actually like...
Afroboogie - Only The Strong (ysi)
It can't all be Rhodes chords and sax solos, now. Have a great weekend, you...
23 April 2009
Motor City (Neo) Soul
Hey all. This first week after Blog-achella has definitely had a head-nodding vibe to it, and today's selection is no different...
Detroit-based singer Dwele is a guy who doesn't get nearly enough love from the mainstream, probably because he's really good. He can sing on his own and everything... he shot an Autotuner once, just to watch it die. He's on criminally under-appreciated album number three now, and if you don't believe me, just read his Wikipedia... it calls Sketches Of A Man a "meticulously (baked) masterpiece of chocolate soul genius". I think I'm gonna write up a Tonegents Wiki, just so it can be officially known that Tonegents is an "brain-fuckingly amazing Rosetta Stone of musical omnipotence and raw sexual tension". Because I can. Wikipedia is cool...
Dwele's also been known to hang out with some of the coolest kids on the block (Jazzanova, Bugz In The Attic, Herbert...), and we know that old saying about blah blah blah judging by company you keep something something. I'm paraphrasing...
And I absolutely cannot leave you today without sharing what is now my favorite site on the Interwebs, Look At This Fucking Hipster. It so perfectly sums up my scorn that it deserves... The Slow Clap!
I'm gonna start a slow clap at work right now...
Detroit-based singer Dwele is a guy who doesn't get nearly enough love from the mainstream, probably because he's really good. He can sing on his own and everything... he shot an Autotuner once, just to watch it die. He's on criminally under-appreciated album number three now, and if you don't believe me, just read his Wikipedia... it calls Sketches Of A Man a "meticulously (baked) masterpiece of chocolate soul genius". I think I'm gonna write up a Tonegents Wiki, just so it can be officially known that Tonegents is an "brain-fuckingly amazing Rosetta Stone of musical omnipotence and raw sexual tension". Because I can. Wikipedia is cool...
Dwele's also been known to hang out with some of the coolest kids on the block (Jazzanova, Bugz In The Attic, Herbert...), and we know that old saying about blah blah blah judging by company you keep something something. I'm paraphrasing...
And I absolutely cannot leave you today without sharing what is now my favorite site on the Interwebs, Look At This Fucking Hipster. It so perfectly sums up my scorn that it deserves... The Slow Clap!
I'm gonna start a slow clap at work right now...
22 April 2009
His fadda head a little small too
So, while I was posting all those Coachella bands, I was of course listening to a whole lot of other music as well... and here's one of my favorite recent finds...
I guess the best way to describe Anthony Joseph would be to say that he's a British equivalent of Saul Williams... a spoken word artist with some killer grooves behind him. And while I'm not sure exactly what's going on with Saul lately what with his hanging out with Trent Reznor and recording U2 covers and whatnot, Mr. Joseph is more than ready to hop on in there and be awesome in his stead. The thing that I really love about this is how ridiculously raw everything sounds... distorted guitar, rickety drum kit, skronky sax and the man's voice itself. The whole record sounds like it crawled out of a bayou swamp somewhere... it's just covered with a layer of muck. This is a good thing...
But nope, no bayou here... they're British. I guess we shouldn't even be surprised by that any more... if it's not boring Indie Rock or bad commercial Rap, that is. Oh, and check out his blog, too, for poetry and other writings... dude's going to have Dr. in front of his name before long, so you know he's got some interesting things to say... unlike me... :P
I guess the best way to describe Anthony Joseph would be to say that he's a British equivalent of Saul Williams... a spoken word artist with some killer grooves behind him. And while I'm not sure exactly what's going on with Saul lately what with his hanging out with Trent Reznor and recording U2 covers and whatnot, Mr. Joseph is more than ready to hop on in there and be awesome in his stead. The thing that I really love about this is how ridiculously raw everything sounds... distorted guitar, rickety drum kit, skronky sax and the man's voice itself. The whole record sounds like it crawled out of a bayou swamp somewhere... it's just covered with a layer of muck. This is a good thing...
Anthony Joseph & The Spasm Band - Bird Head Son (ysi)
But nope, no bayou here... they're British. I guess we shouldn't even be surprised by that any more... if it's not boring Indie Rock or bad commercial Rap, that is. Oh, and check out his blog, too, for poetry and other writings... dude's going to have Dr. in front of his name before long, so you know he's got some interesting things to say... unlike me... :P
21 April 2009
Turkish delights
In honor of President Obama's (wow, still feels good to say that) recent visit to Turkey, the shuffle landed on this song today. The shuffle loves half-assed sentiment...
Wax Poetic is one of those projects where a hipster ex-pat in NYC makes tunes with a rotating cast of people and they are good, much like Big Muff or some other group I'm sure I could think of if I could be arsed to take the time. The ex-pat in question is Turkish saxamaphone player Ilhan Ersahin, and the rotating cast has featured people like N'Dea Davenport, Saul Williams and in this case Smooth Jazz hottie Norah Jones of all people. And yes, this is easily the best song Norah Jones has ever done. Smooth beats with a Turkish influence... betcha didn't see that comin'...
Wax Poetic is one of those projects where a hipster ex-pat in NYC makes tunes with a rotating cast of people and they are good, much like Big Muff or some other group I'm sure I could think of if I could be arsed to take the time. The ex-pat in question is Turkish saxamaphone player Ilhan Ersahin, and the rotating cast has featured people like N'Dea Davenport, Saul Williams and in this case Smooth Jazz hottie Norah Jones of all people. And yes, this is easily the best song Norah Jones has ever done. Smooth beats with a Turkish influence... betcha didn't see that comin'...
Take it from me, that record goes over like a champ when spinning at hipster cocktail parties. There's actually a fair amount of smooth Drum & Bass on Wax Poetic as well, and you can usually find it in your local dollar bin because people are stupid. But it works out okay for those of us who can then buy good records for a dollar. It's like the food chain without the food...
20 April 2009
Clown Power!
So who went to Coachella? Did anyone follow my recommendations? Were they dead-on or dead in the water? Please share with the class... and now, your full return to regular Tonegents programming commences...
Fila Brazillia is another one of those acts that I'm quite shocked to find hasn't had a dedicated post here at Tonegents. I'd also be quite shocked if that last sentence was grammatically correct, but that's neither here not there. I'm thirdly shocked to read that the two pasty British dudes that made up Fila have parted ways... because I always thought they were just so cute together... oh wait, I'm thinking of Jen Aniston & Vince Vaughn. Anyhoo, they did have a decade-long run and were quite prolific... how many electronic acts have managed ten quality full-lengths, huh? Not so many. Here's a tune...
Fila Brazillia is another one of those acts that I'm quite shocked to find hasn't had a dedicated post here at Tonegents. I'd also be quite shocked if that last sentence was grammatically correct, but that's neither here not there. I'm thirdly shocked to read that the two pasty British dudes that made up Fila have parted ways... because I always thought they were just so cute together... oh wait, I'm thinking of Jen Aniston & Vince Vaughn. Anyhoo, they did have a decade-long run and were quite prolific... how many electronic acts have managed ten quality full-lengths, huh? Not so many. Here's a tune...
Fila Brazillia - Little Hands Rouge (ysi)
And since it is 4/20 after all, I guess I should give you some weed-related content, so how about this?
See, I knew Hurley wasn't crazy. He's just a stoner...
17 April 2009
A Welcome Return To Form
Hey all... well, thank goodness that Blog-achella business is over. I mean, I enjoy doing it and I know there are people that enjoy reading it... but it's time to get back to what Tonegents is about... inflicting my music library upon the unsuspecting Interwebs, one randomly selected tune at a time. And hey, it's House Music Friday!
Here's a record that's one of those records... you know the ones... you hear someone play it at a house party, forget to trainspot it, then spend years wishing you had, because you don't even know what you're looking for... until finally you stumble upon it unknowingly... then you let out a WOOOT! Soul Avengerz are two of the pastiest, whitest, British-est blokes you will ever lay eyes on. Plus they are old and pudgy to boot. But they know how to throw down with a classic sample... I'm not even gonna say who from, because the DMCA dudes tend to jump all over my narrow butt when a certain name is mentioned 'round here. Trust me though, it's not terribly obscure...
Here's a record that's one of those records... you know the ones... you hear someone play it at a house party, forget to trainspot it, then spend years wishing you had, because you don't even know what you're looking for... until finally you stumble upon it unknowingly... then you let out a WOOOT! Soul Avengerz are two of the pastiest, whitest, British-est blokes you will ever lay eyes on. Plus they are old and pudgy to boot. But they know how to throw down with a classic sample... I'm not even gonna say who from, because the DMCA dudes tend to jump all over my narrow butt when a certain name is mentioned 'round here. Trust me though, it's not terribly obscure...
Soul Avengerz - Enjoy Yourself (ysi)
I guess it's shooting fish in a barrel to sample that, but they did a good job, didn't they? "Woot!" indeed... have a great weekend!
16 April 2009
Blog-achella 09: Here's how it's goin' down...
Got a minute or two?
Well, they beat me to it. Coachella released the set times before I could get through all the bands. And since there was really no one terribly obscure left to go (except those upstart whippersnappers, what are they called... The Cures?), I figured it was time to just cut to the chase. So here, without further ado, are my recommendations. I'm going to assume that you are going to show up right at noon each and every day, because that's how you roll if you're hardcore. Follow me and you will have the equivalent of a musical triple orgasm (with cheese)... defy me and perish!
FRIDAY
(Click to embiggen)
12:00 - 1:30: Switch (Sahara Tent) - Lemme get this straight... Switch, who spins big loud peak-time skronk House, plays the Sahara at noon in front of, say, 50 people? And then much later in the day the E'd up half-naked gay guys are gonna get Ghostland Observatory? Oh, you say, they can go see someone else then. No they can't. The E'd up half-naked gay guys don't go out into the sunshine. It makes them melt. I don't get it... maybe the Switch guy got a tee time at PGA West at 3:00 that he can't change or something...
1:30 - 2:30: Craze & Klever (Sahara Tent) - This is more what you would think to start the day with... Turntablism antics. Nothing too fast. Bob your head and shit. Get in a party mood...
2:50 - 3:40: We Are Scientists (Coachella Stage) - What a perfect time & stage for these guys. Sure, People Under The Stairs are in the Gobi and Gui Boratto's playing in the Sahara and splitting up this hour could be the way to go, but by now the shirtless dudes are starting to get sweaty. The sun plus some catchy-as-hell Pop before the joint starts to get really crowded beckons...
3:40 - 5:30: Beer. Grub. Walk around. Check out the Dome. Bang on shit with the hippies. Nothing to see here. Sure you can pop your head in here and there and see what's going on, but there's no one I really give a rat's arse about playing for two hours...
5:30 - 6:20: The Ting Tings (Sahara Tent) - Slightly torn between these guys and Buraka Som Sistema, I'm going to vote for the less shouty and more hot blonde girl-having Ting Tings. But if they suck, you can always switch out. Ain't that beautiful?
6:35 - 7:00: The Bug (Gobi Tent) - My recent obsession with the Dubstep wins out over Franz Ferdinand in a tight one. I only have half the set scheduled here though because Coachella likes to fuck with people who like good music and put all of it on at once.
7:15 - 8:05: N.A.S.A. (Mojave Tent) - Now that I've given the N.A.S.A. album a few spins, I gotta tell ya... it's fantastic. Plus there's gotta be at least a few guest stars... Chuck D., Lykke Li, Karen O. and M.I.A. are all gonna be there and they're all on the album, folks. That sounds like a party to me... plus there's no one else good on now.
8:30 - 9:30: Morrissey (Coachella Stage) - In a mild upset over both Peanut Butter Wolf and Girl Talk, because fuck it, I would like to hear him sing some Smiths songs. Morrissey understands my pain! But, if it's getting to squished up by the main stage or you have to stand so far away you're in Bakersfield, either of the other two would do nicely.
9:45 - 10:10: Patton & Rahzel (Mojave Tent) - You definitely wanna peek in and see what these cats are up to, but it could get a little crazy, and by crazy I mean Mike Patton making noises that make your head explode, not in the good way. If that's the case, just step one tent over to...
10:10 - 10:45: The Presets (Sahara Tent) - Because I don't want to hear "Band on The Run" and because I don't care if Dave Grohl is playing drums... because Dave Grohl plays drums for everyone. After Coachella he's doing 3 nights with my junior high stage band. But you're gonna leave The Presets early to get a good spot for the best act on the bill and an amazing closer to the evening...
11:00: Bajofondo (Gobi Tent) - Really wish these guys were playing outside so I could Tango under the stars. Not that I know how to Tango or anything, but that never stopped me before! And I was only charged with a misdemeanor that time, so it wasn't too bad...
So overall, Friday shook out pretty well. No really horrible scheduling conflicts for us. You never get to see everyone you want to see, but we're gonna get in a very high percentage...
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SATURDAY
(Click to embiggen)
1:00 - 1:30: P.O.S. (Mojave Tent) - Saturday starts off with a late addition to the bill, Minneapolis rapper P.O.S., who I've never heard of before, but he sounds pretty good...
(GoEar's been broken for a couple days, so sorry... you'll have to download to listen today)
1:30 - 3:00: Beer. Grub. Walk around. Check out the Dome. Bang on shit with the hippies. Nothing to see here. Except maybe the first song or two from Joss Stone, another late add, but really she starts too close to the next one...
3:00 - 3:45: Thenewno2 (Mojave Tent) - Because I told you how much I unexpectedly dig George Harrison's kid's band. So I really hope they don't suck live, but if they do, I guess I could go back to Joss...
4:05 - 4:45: Surkin (Sahara Tent) - Because it would be a cop-out to tell you to take another beer break.
5:10 - 6:00: Spearhead (Coachella Stage) - To use a basketball metaphor, because Michael Franti is really tall (and I am that clever), Spearhead vs. the rest of the field playing at this time is like North Carolina vs. Northwest Arkansas Junior College... a blowout.
6:15 - 7:05: Tinariwen (Gobi Tent) - Tough choice over Calexico, but when in doubt, go with the band you have little chance of ever seeing again. Plus, they're kinda awesome, so there's that... I mean, you could go dirge out to TV On The Radio again, but that would make you terribly boring. Do you want your friends to think you're boring?
7:40 - 8:30: Thievery Corporation (Coachella Stage) - As much as I'd like to check out Travis Barker's & DJ AM's burn scars in person, this is another no-brainer. I'd love to show Booker T. some love, since he's a legend and all, but I'll go for the borderline transcendent musical experience. And the sitar. Loves me some sitar.
8:45 - 9:35: Junior Boys (Gobi Tent) - Pickin' these guys over M.I.A. because A) I've never seen 'em and B) after M.I.A.'s by-all-accounts clusterfuck of a set last year, I don't truss a bitch. The main stage seems a little big for her, too, knowhatimean?
9:45 - 11:00: The Chemical Brothers (Sahara Tent) - As much as it irks me that this is only a DJ set, and believe you me it irks me somethin' fierce, the other options are... let's see... crap, crap, crap and the Killers, aka shit. So that's pretty easy, eh? Unless you like shit, in which case you are probably German. Sorry. Couldn't resist. Hey, Germany, you stop makin' Scheisse videos, I'll stop makin' that joke. We got a deal?
11:10: MSTRKRFT (Sahara Tent) - One could make a case for Gang Gang Dance or Atmosphere here, but let's face facts... you're already in the tent, you're already off your tits, and it's a looooong way to the other side of the Polo Fields when your eyeballs goin' all facacta. Trust me on that.
So, scheduling-wise, they did a really good job on Saturday. We missed almost nothing worth seeing and though we started a little "meh", we finished strong. Will the kind scheduling continue on Sunday? Short answer: No.
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SUNDAY
(Click to embiggen)
12:45 - 1:40: Mexican Institute Of Sound (Outdoor Theatre) - If you can actually make it there this early on Sunday, you are truly hardcore. And you will be rewarded with your first trip to the 2nd stage of the weekend. Which is kinda shocking, as so many of my favorite sets in the past have taken place there. And um... nope, that's all I got for that...
2:10 - 3:00: Friendly Fires (Gobi Tent) - I was just listening to this record on the way in to work today and I gotta tell ya I like it more and more with each spin... this is a little early for them to be on, but I'll do what I gotta.
3:25 - 4:15: Sebastien Tellier (Gobi Tent) - I skipped over this dude a few posts back for time, but lucky for him, the schedule has played out such that he's the only good act on during this time period so go check him out. The new record was produced by Guy-Manuel of Daft Punk, btw...
And depending on how that goes, you may or may not want to leave early, step outside and over to...
4:05 - 4:55: Lykke Li (Outdoor Theatre) - This is a tough call over K'naan & M.A.N.D.Y., but that's what I'm here for, folks, to make the tough calls so you don't have to. But hey, if she sucks, you got options. 'Tis the beauty of Coachella. That and the pretty mountains... and the boobies in bikini tops.
4:55 - 6:15: Beer. Grub. Walk around. Check out the Dome. Bang on shit with the hippies. Nothing to see here. Maybe Peter, Bjorn & John, but really you should charge up because there's gonna be some trekkin' in your near future. And I'm not talkin' about Star Trek. Of course, I doubt you thought I was talkin' about Star Trek. Why would I be? Makes no sense.
6:15 - 7:15: Plump DJs (Sahara Tent) - With all due respect to the Chems, this might be the best DJ set all weekend. Yeah, I'm just bitter the Chems aren't playing live, I know...
7:50 - 9:00: My Bloody Valentine (Coachella Stage) - Prepare to get your face melted, your eardrums pulverized and your brain deep-fried... that's all I have to say about that.
9:00 - 10:00: Fuck. (Outdoor Theatre/Gobi Tent/Mojave Tent/Sahara Tent) - They do this to you at least once every year, the bastards. Put all the bands you most want to see on at the EXACT SAME MOTHER-LOVIN' TIME! Public Enemy, The Orb, The Kills and Groove Armada's DJ set. Eat a bag of dicks, Goldenvoice. I have no idea what to do, but hey, here's an Orb-scure remix for ya to enjoy while I beat my head against the corner of my desk repeatedly...
10:50: Etienne De Crecy (Sahara Tent) - And we cap it all off with the CUBE. Sweet!
So there you have it, folks. That's my $0.02. I hope you've enjoyed this year's unfortunately condensed version of Blog-achella. If any of you were to actually follow this schedule, let me know how it works out for ya... oh, and you owe me $0.02. Tomorrow, Tonegents will resume regular programming... i.e. nothin' but good shit 'til the cows come home. Cheers.
Well, they beat me to it. Coachella released the set times before I could get through all the bands. And since there was really no one terribly obscure left to go (except those upstart whippersnappers, what are they called... The Cures?), I figured it was time to just cut to the chase. So here, without further ado, are my recommendations. I'm going to assume that you are going to show up right at noon each and every day, because that's how you roll if you're hardcore. Follow me and you will have the equivalent of a musical triple orgasm (with cheese)... defy me and perish!
FRIDAY
(Click to embiggen)
12:00 - 1:30: Switch (Sahara Tent) - Lemme get this straight... Switch, who spins big loud peak-time skronk House, plays the Sahara at noon in front of, say, 50 people? And then much later in the day the E'd up half-naked gay guys are gonna get Ghostland Observatory? Oh, you say, they can go see someone else then. No they can't. The E'd up half-naked gay guys don't go out into the sunshine. It makes them melt. I don't get it... maybe the Switch guy got a tee time at PGA West at 3:00 that he can't change or something...
1:30 - 2:30: Craze & Klever (Sahara Tent) - This is more what you would think to start the day with... Turntablism antics. Nothing too fast. Bob your head and shit. Get in a party mood...
2:50 - 3:40: We Are Scientists (Coachella Stage) - What a perfect time & stage for these guys. Sure, People Under The Stairs are in the Gobi and Gui Boratto's playing in the Sahara and splitting up this hour could be the way to go, but by now the shirtless dudes are starting to get sweaty. The sun plus some catchy-as-hell Pop before the joint starts to get really crowded beckons...
3:40 - 5:30: Beer. Grub. Walk around. Check out the Dome. Bang on shit with the hippies. Nothing to see here. Sure you can pop your head in here and there and see what's going on, but there's no one I really give a rat's arse about playing for two hours...
5:30 - 6:20: The Ting Tings (Sahara Tent) - Slightly torn between these guys and Buraka Som Sistema, I'm going to vote for the less shouty and more hot blonde girl-having Ting Tings. But if they suck, you can always switch out. Ain't that beautiful?
6:35 - 7:00: The Bug (Gobi Tent) - My recent obsession with the Dubstep wins out over Franz Ferdinand in a tight one. I only have half the set scheduled here though because Coachella likes to fuck with people who like good music and put all of it on at once.
7:15 - 8:05: N.A.S.A. (Mojave Tent) - Now that I've given the N.A.S.A. album a few spins, I gotta tell ya... it's fantastic. Plus there's gotta be at least a few guest stars... Chuck D., Lykke Li, Karen O. and M.I.A. are all gonna be there and they're all on the album, folks. That sounds like a party to me... plus there's no one else good on now.
8:30 - 9:30: Morrissey (Coachella Stage) - In a mild upset over both Peanut Butter Wolf and Girl Talk, because fuck it, I would like to hear him sing some Smiths songs. Morrissey understands my pain! But, if it's getting to squished up by the main stage or you have to stand so far away you're in Bakersfield, either of the other two would do nicely.
9:45 - 10:10: Patton & Rahzel (Mojave Tent) - You definitely wanna peek in and see what these cats are up to, but it could get a little crazy, and by crazy I mean Mike Patton making noises that make your head explode, not in the good way. If that's the case, just step one tent over to...
10:10 - 10:45: The Presets (Sahara Tent) - Because I don't want to hear "Band on The Run" and because I don't care if Dave Grohl is playing drums... because Dave Grohl plays drums for everyone. After Coachella he's doing 3 nights with my junior high stage band. But you're gonna leave The Presets early to get a good spot for the best act on the bill and an amazing closer to the evening...
11:00: Bajofondo (Gobi Tent) - Really wish these guys were playing outside so I could Tango under the stars. Not that I know how to Tango or anything, but that never stopped me before! And I was only charged with a misdemeanor that time, so it wasn't too bad...
So overall, Friday shook out pretty well. No really horrible scheduling conflicts for us. You never get to see everyone you want to see, but we're gonna get in a very high percentage...
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SATURDAY
(Click to embiggen)
1:00 - 1:30: P.O.S. (Mojave Tent) - Saturday starts off with a late addition to the bill, Minneapolis rapper P.O.S., who I've never heard of before, but he sounds pretty good...
(GoEar's been broken for a couple days, so sorry... you'll have to download to listen today)
1:30 - 3:00: Beer. Grub. Walk around. Check out the Dome. Bang on shit with the hippies. Nothing to see here. Except maybe the first song or two from Joss Stone, another late add, but really she starts too close to the next one...
3:00 - 3:45: Thenewno2 (Mojave Tent) - Because I told you how much I unexpectedly dig George Harrison's kid's band. So I really hope they don't suck live, but if they do, I guess I could go back to Joss...
4:05 - 4:45: Surkin (Sahara Tent) - Because it would be a cop-out to tell you to take another beer break.
5:10 - 6:00: Spearhead (Coachella Stage) - To use a basketball metaphor, because Michael Franti is really tall (and I am that clever), Spearhead vs. the rest of the field playing at this time is like North Carolina vs. Northwest Arkansas Junior College... a blowout.
6:15 - 7:05: Tinariwen (Gobi Tent) - Tough choice over Calexico, but when in doubt, go with the band you have little chance of ever seeing again. Plus, they're kinda awesome, so there's that... I mean, you could go dirge out to TV On The Radio again, but that would make you terribly boring. Do you want your friends to think you're boring?
7:40 - 8:30: Thievery Corporation (Coachella Stage) - As much as I'd like to check out Travis Barker's & DJ AM's burn scars in person, this is another no-brainer. I'd love to show Booker T. some love, since he's a legend and all, but I'll go for the borderline transcendent musical experience. And the sitar. Loves me some sitar.
8:45 - 9:35: Junior Boys (Gobi Tent) - Pickin' these guys over M.I.A. because A) I've never seen 'em and B) after M.I.A.'s by-all-accounts clusterfuck of a set last year, I don't truss a bitch. The main stage seems a little big for her, too, knowhatimean?
9:45 - 11:00: The Chemical Brothers (Sahara Tent) - As much as it irks me that this is only a DJ set, and believe you me it irks me somethin' fierce, the other options are... let's see... crap, crap, crap and the Killers, aka shit. So that's pretty easy, eh? Unless you like shit, in which case you are probably German. Sorry. Couldn't resist. Hey, Germany, you stop makin' Scheisse videos, I'll stop makin' that joke. We got a deal?
11:10: MSTRKRFT (Sahara Tent) - One could make a case for Gang Gang Dance or Atmosphere here, but let's face facts... you're already in the tent, you're already off your tits, and it's a looooong way to the other side of the Polo Fields when your eyeballs goin' all facacta. Trust me on that.
So, scheduling-wise, they did a really good job on Saturday. We missed almost nothing worth seeing and though we started a little "meh", we finished strong. Will the kind scheduling continue on Sunday? Short answer: No.
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SUNDAY
(Click to embiggen)
12:45 - 1:40: Mexican Institute Of Sound (Outdoor Theatre) - If you can actually make it there this early on Sunday, you are truly hardcore. And you will be rewarded with your first trip to the 2nd stage of the weekend. Which is kinda shocking, as so many of my favorite sets in the past have taken place there. And um... nope, that's all I got for that...
2:10 - 3:00: Friendly Fires (Gobi Tent) - I was just listening to this record on the way in to work today and I gotta tell ya I like it more and more with each spin... this is a little early for them to be on, but I'll do what I gotta.
3:25 - 4:15: Sebastien Tellier (Gobi Tent) - I skipped over this dude a few posts back for time, but lucky for him, the schedule has played out such that he's the only good act on during this time period so go check him out. The new record was produced by Guy-Manuel of Daft Punk, btw...
Sebastien Tellier - Kilometer (ysi)
And depending on how that goes, you may or may not want to leave early, step outside and over to...
4:05 - 4:55: Lykke Li (Outdoor Theatre) - This is a tough call over K'naan & M.A.N.D.Y., but that's what I'm here for, folks, to make the tough calls so you don't have to. But hey, if she sucks, you got options. 'Tis the beauty of Coachella. That and the pretty mountains... and the boobies in bikini tops.
4:55 - 6:15: Beer. Grub. Walk around. Check out the Dome. Bang on shit with the hippies. Nothing to see here. Maybe Peter, Bjorn & John, but really you should charge up because there's gonna be some trekkin' in your near future. And I'm not talkin' about Star Trek. Of course, I doubt you thought I was talkin' about Star Trek. Why would I be? Makes no sense.
6:15 - 7:15: Plump DJs (Sahara Tent) - With all due respect to the Chems, this might be the best DJ set all weekend. Yeah, I'm just bitter the Chems aren't playing live, I know...
7:50 - 9:00: My Bloody Valentine (Coachella Stage) - Prepare to get your face melted, your eardrums pulverized and your brain deep-fried... that's all I have to say about that.
9:00 - 10:00: Fuck. (Outdoor Theatre/Gobi Tent/Mojave Tent/Sahara Tent) - They do this to you at least once every year, the bastards. Put all the bands you most want to see on at the EXACT SAME MOTHER-LOVIN' TIME! Public Enemy, The Orb, The Kills and Groove Armada's DJ set. Eat a bag of dicks, Goldenvoice. I have no idea what to do, but hey, here's an Orb-scure remix for ya to enjoy while I beat my head against the corner of my desk repeatedly...
The Orb - Little Fluffy Clouds (Heavyweight Dub) (ysi)
10:50: Etienne De Crecy (Sahara Tent) - And we cap it all off with the CUBE. Sweet!
So there you have it, folks. That's my $0.02. I hope you've enjoyed this year's unfortunately condensed version of Blog-achella. If any of you were to actually follow this schedule, let me know how it works out for ya... oh, and you owe me $0.02. Tomorrow, Tonegents will resume regular programming... i.e. nothin' but good shit 'til the cows come home. Cheers.
15 April 2009
Where I Be?
The crowd waits, patiently at first. Much longer, though... things'll get stabby.
I know, I'm supposed to finish Blog-achella... what gives? Rest assured, I'm working on a gigantic wrap-up mega post-a-palooza... stay tuned...
13 April 2009
Blog-achella 09: New (old) Forms
Hey, look... bonus post! Like a said, there's still a few people I need to cover before the big set-time announcement happens and I tell you exactly where to be and when, so let's keep pluggin'...
Roni Size Reprazent
Who they are: Mr. Roni Size and his assorted peeps. I don't know how many of the original Reprazenters are still reprazenting, though... no idea if Krust and Die are still with him...
What they sound like: If you think that Reprazents latest release, New Forms 2, sounds a lot like their classic, masterpiece, unfuckwiddable New Forms, well... that's because it's just a new version of New Forms where they made new versions the old songs. Oh there's a new song or two on there, but we won't talk about those... Wow, that was kind of confusing to read, eh?
What I think: Wouldn't miss it, although the new show doesn't quite seem to bring the shock & awe that Reprazent, uh... brung to Coachella the last time they played as a full band...
... but hey, you gotta get your Drum & Bass fill from somewhere, right?
Roni Size Reprazent
Who they are: Mr. Roni Size and his assorted peeps. I don't know how many of the original Reprazenters are still reprazenting, though... no idea if Krust and Die are still with him...
What they sound like: If you think that Reprazents latest release, New Forms 2, sounds a lot like their classic, masterpiece, unfuckwiddable New Forms, well... that's because it's just a new version of New Forms where they made new versions the old songs. Oh there's a new song or two on there, but we won't talk about those... Wow, that was kind of confusing to read, eh?
Roni Size Reprazent - Brown Paper Bag (2008 Re-Edit) (ysi)
What I think: Wouldn't miss it, although the new show doesn't quite seem to bring the shock & awe that Reprazent, uh... brung to Coachella the last time they played as a full band...
... but hey, you gotta get your Drum & Bass fill from somewhere, right?
Blog-achella 09: Bring the Noise!
Well hello there. Here we are, the week of the big show. I got a few more acts I definitely want to get to, so there's no use beating up Billy Bush... let's get to it...
Public Enemy
Who they are: The erudite Chuck D. and the functionally retarded, reality show hoochie-loving Flava Flav. Did you know Flav just turned 50? Wow.
What they sound like: They sound like they will whoop your white ass, cracka! I think it's best if we all just agree that the last couple Public Enemy albums never happened, don't you? Good. So once again, I'll go to the way-back machine and pull out a 22-year-old jammy for you that still sounds hot as ever...
(DMCA'd one year later? Flava Flav must be having trouble with some child support payments...)
What I think: Unfortunately, I've never seen Public Enemy live, so I'm excited to see even the fifty-year-old version. And if you check out this recent YouTube, it seems like they're still perfectly capable of stirrin' up some black rage...
Yeah, boyeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Public Enemy
Who they are: The erudite Chuck D. and the functionally retarded, reality show hoochie-loving Flava Flav. Did you know Flav just turned 50? Wow.
What they sound like: They sound like they will whoop your white ass, cracka! I think it's best if we all just agree that the last couple Public Enemy albums never happened, don't you? Good. So once again, I'll go to the way-back machine and pull out a 22-year-old jammy for you that still sounds hot as ever...
(DMCA'd one year later? Flava Flav must be having trouble with some child support payments...)
What I think: Unfortunately, I've never seen Public Enemy live, so I'm excited to see even the fifty-year-old version. And if you check out this recent YouTube, it seems like they're still perfectly capable of stirrin' up some black rage...
Yeah, boyeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
09 April 2009
Blog-achella 09: Brought to you by Bacardi!
I'm going to start today's blog by recommending that you check out my friend's site Simple Harmonic Motion for some really dope podcasts. Go check it out. Bookmark it. Make it part of your day...
For some reason... today's Coachella act is makin' me thirsty. I wonder why?
Groove Armada
Who they are: They're the armada of groove. Now brought to you by Bacardi. Have a delicious Bacardi & Coke today!
What they sound like: I don't think I need to tell you what Groove Armada sounds like, so I'll just take this time to enjoy a delicious Bacardi Mai Tai...
...
...
Yum! (BURP) So anyhoo, I decided to go deep into the vaults and give you a cut from their very first album, Northern Star, because you probably haven't heard that one too much, have ya?
What I think: I think a delicious Bacardi Mojito would be awesome right now, don't you? Gotta say I'd be stoked as heck to see GA play live... they were amazing at the Hollywood Bowl last time I saw them. The only problem was that they were actually opening (for some unknown reason) for Cafe Tacuba, who were horrible. BUT, since this is just a DJ set, I kinda don't care, even though I'm sure it will be lovely. But I'd rather see this...
Seriously, you have both the Chems and the Armada there, and they're BOTH just DJing? What. The. Fuck? Pfffffft!
P.S. Drink Bacardi! Responsibly, bitches!
For some reason... today's Coachella act is makin' me thirsty. I wonder why?
Groove Armada
Who they are: They're the armada of groove. Now brought to you by Bacardi. Have a delicious Bacardi & Coke today!
What they sound like: I don't think I need to tell you what Groove Armada sounds like, so I'll just take this time to enjoy a delicious Bacardi Mai Tai...
...
...
Yum! (BURP) So anyhoo, I decided to go deep into the vaults and give you a cut from their very first album, Northern Star, because you probably haven't heard that one too much, have ya?
Groove Armada - Captain Sensual (Remix) (ysi)
What I think: I think a delicious Bacardi Mojito would be awesome right now, don't you? Gotta say I'd be stoked as heck to see GA play live... they were amazing at the Hollywood Bowl last time I saw them. The only problem was that they were actually opening (for some unknown reason) for Cafe Tacuba, who were horrible. BUT, since this is just a DJ set, I kinda don't care, even though I'm sure it will be lovely. But I'd rather see this...
Seriously, you have both the Chems and the Armada there, and they're BOTH just DJing? What. The. Fuck? Pfffffft!
P.S. Drink Bacardi! Responsibly, bitches!
08 April 2009
Blog-achella 09: Enter... the CUBE!!!
Big milestone today at Tonegent HQ... I have now officially gone one Earth week without, as my friend Reggie so eloquently puts it, sucking on the cancer dick. A real wordsmith, that guy... Gettin' easier each day, although sometimes I still reallywantafuckingcigaretteRIGHTNOW! But those times are getting fewer and farther between. Today's Coachella coverage begins with a question...
Christopher Lawrence is still alive? Who knew?
Next up are the awesomely named Murder City Devils, a Seattle Punk band who sound decent enough for a Punk band...
And then I can't tell you strongly enough to avoid that dirty hippie Devendra Banhart. The fact that this guy has had sex with Natalie Portman... you know what? No. That never happened. That's all I have to say about that...
So, for today's, we have THE Sahara Tent act not to miss this year...
Etienne De Crecy
Who he is: Not exactly a household name, but he's the one who kind of started the whole "French Touch" thing, so he's boys with all the cool kids.
What he sounds like: Not exactly I guy whose music I've heard much of, but it's good French House, kind of somewhere in between Daft Punk and Justice in sound....
What I think: So why am I telling you that this "not exactly" big name is the guy you can't miss... because of the motherfuckin' CUBE, y'all...
Yes, that is easily the coolest thing since DP's pyramid. Those Frenchies know how to put on a show, for sure. And this may be blasphemy, but the Daft Punk tour wasn't the Earth-shaking success it was because of the music. They were actually kind of annoying with their constant, constant, constant breakdowns. Just let the fuckin' beat ride for a couple minutes so I can get my dance on, dammit! Anyhoo, prepare for this guy to officially be the next big thing after he destroys Coachella... and you can take that one to the bank! (Just make sure it's not one of the ones that's going to go under...)
Christopher Lawrence is still alive? Who knew?
Next up are the awesomely named Murder City Devils, a Seattle Punk band who sound decent enough for a Punk band...
And then I can't tell you strongly enough to avoid that dirty hippie Devendra Banhart. The fact that this guy has had sex with Natalie Portman... you know what? No. That never happened. That's all I have to say about that...
So, for today's, we have THE Sahara Tent act not to miss this year...
Etienne De Crecy
Who he is: Not exactly a household name, but he's the one who kind of started the whole "French Touch" thing, so he's boys with all the cool kids.
What he sounds like: Not exactly I guy whose music I've heard much of, but it's good French House, kind of somewhere in between Daft Punk and Justice in sound....
Etienne De Crecy - Grokster (ysi)
What I think: So why am I telling you that this "not exactly" big name is the guy you can't miss... because of the motherfuckin' CUBE, y'all...
Yes, that is easily the coolest thing since DP's pyramid. Those Frenchies know how to put on a show, for sure. And this may be blasphemy, but the Daft Punk tour wasn't the Earth-shaking success it was because of the music. They were actually kind of annoying with their constant, constant, constant breakdowns. Just let the fuckin' beat ride for a couple minutes so I can get my dance on, dammit! Anyhoo, prepare for this guy to officially be the next big thing after he destroys Coachella... and you can take that one to the bank! (Just make sure it's not one of the ones that's going to go under...)
07 April 2009
Blog-achella 09: She can kick it any time
You know, I could make some nice, disgusting puns from today's artist's name, but I'm not gonna do it. I'm highbrow and shit...
Lykke Li
Who she is: Four words that win me over every time... Cute Swedish Pop Singer.
What she sounds like: But she's no Annie... she's much weirder. Not, like, Bjork weird... because that's actually been scientifically proven to be impossible. I'm not really full of adjectives today though (perhaps it's the Jim Beam from last night), so I'll just let you listen...
Lykke Li
Who she is: Four words that win me over every time... Cute Swedish Pop Singer.
What she sounds like: But she's no Annie... she's much weirder. Not, like, Bjork weird... because that's actually been scientifically proven to be impossible. I'm not really full of adjectives today though (perhaps it's the Jim Beam from last night), so I'll just let you listen...
Lykke Li - I'm Good, I'm Gone (ysi)
What I think: I think she'll be great in one of the small tents, especially if she drops this most excellent cover tune...
Cute, Swedish, likes Tribe Called Quest... yes, Lykke Li is okay in my book, folks. Aaaaaand... that's all I got today.
06 April 2009
Blog-achella 09: Killin' it
Day 6 off the cancer sticks, and I haven't cheated once. In the past I've cheated, and let me tell ya, it's much harder when you don't cheat. Just ask Sammy Sosa...
Speaking of which... baseball is back! I know most of you probably don't care, but it feels good just to type...
In Coachella acts...
I'm going to skip past Okkervil River, an Indie Rock band from Texas that's neither amazing nor terrible, the absolute definition of "meh"... which brings us to...
The Kills
Who they are: An American gal and a British dude that like to call themselves VV and Hotel... because yeah, that makes a lot of sense.
What they sound like: It's hard to exactly pin down The Kills' sound. It's guitar & drum machine... sometimes bluesy, sometimes a bit funky, sometimes sounding just like The Pixies. Let's just say it sounds good...
What I think: The Kills are actually a band I like because of Coachella. I'd never heard of them until my friend Emma dragged me into their set in the Mojave Tent a few years back. And while I went in only because the cute girl wanted me to, I came out quite impressed. Their set up (and songs) may be simple, but they got that certain pizazz you can't fake...
Run, do not walk, to see The Kills. They'll make your pants feel all funny... seriously, The Kills will give you a giant boner. (So much for subtlety...)
Speaking of which... baseball is back! I know most of you probably don't care, but it feels good just to type...
In Coachella acts...
I'm going to skip past Okkervil River, an Indie Rock band from Texas that's neither amazing nor terrible, the absolute definition of "meh"... which brings us to...
The Kills
Who they are: An American gal and a British dude that like to call themselves VV and Hotel... because yeah, that makes a lot of sense.
What they sound like: It's hard to exactly pin down The Kills' sound. It's guitar & drum machine... sometimes bluesy, sometimes a bit funky, sometimes sounding just like The Pixies. Let's just say it sounds good...
The Kills - Cheap And Cheerful (ysi)
What I think: The Kills are actually a band I like because of Coachella. I'd never heard of them until my friend Emma dragged me into their set in the Mojave Tent a few years back. And while I went in only because the cute girl wanted me to, I came out quite impressed. Their set up (and songs) may be simple, but they got that certain pizazz you can't fake...
Run, do not walk, to see The Kills. They'll make your pants feel all funny... seriously, The Kills will give you a giant boner. (So much for subtlety...)
03 April 2009
Blog-achella 09: Gettin' physical
Welcome to my third day of Nicotine Deprivation Induced Stupor... I think that says it all...
The only act I'm going to skip today is Clipse, a rap duo that's a bit commercial for my tastes, but not 50 Cent-style fuck-awful by any means...
And we have a fitting act for what's usually House Music Friday...
M.A.N.D.Y.
Who they are: A pair of German DJs known better for remixing than original productions... also they're the heads of the excellent Tech House label Get Physical, which I've yapped about on several occasions.
What they sound like: Deep Tech House goodness... again, these guys don't have too many tracks out under there own name, but I was able to dig one up for ya nonetheless...
What I think: This is definitely a DJ set, but since they run the label and all, I'm sure they'll drop all sorts of tasty upcoming Get Physical joints on ya... now for the least impressive YouTubes yet, but with good tunes at least...
To see them from that angle at Coachella, you'd have to be hanging from the roof of the tent... which I have in fact seen people do. Not recommended. 2 weeks 'til the big show... have a lovely weekend!
The only act I'm going to skip today is Clipse, a rap duo that's a bit commercial for my tastes, but not 50 Cent-style fuck-awful by any means...
And we have a fitting act for what's usually House Music Friday...
M.A.N.D.Y.
Who they are: A pair of German DJs known better for remixing than original productions... also they're the heads of the excellent Tech House label Get Physical, which I've yapped about on several occasions.
What they sound like: Deep Tech House goodness... again, these guys don't have too many tracks out under there own name, but I was able to dig one up for ya nonetheless...
M.A.N.D.Y. - Say A Little Prayer For Me (ysi)
What I think: This is definitely a DJ set, but since they run the label and all, I'm sure they'll drop all sorts of tasty upcoming Get Physical joints on ya... now for the least impressive YouTubes yet, but with good tunes at least...
To see them from that angle at Coachella, you'd have to be hanging from the roof of the tent... which I have in fact seen people do. Not recommended. 2 weeks 'til the big show... have a lovely weekend!
02 April 2009
Blog-achella 09: Plumpin' Bumpin'
Day 2 without cigarettes. World. Of. Hurt. Meanwhile, in Coachella bands...
Today's loser roundup begins with Late Of The Pier, who one could compare in many ways to Friendly Fires, except for the part where I said Friendly Fires were really, really good...
Next we have The Horrors, who only have one song on their Myspace, which makes it pretty hard for me to draw any sweeping conclusions about them... but I will anyways. The conclusion is "meh"...
And it wouldn't be Coachella without Perry Farrell now, would it. Now as big of a free pass as Perry gets for Jane's Addiction and inventing Lollapalooza, it's pretty amazing that he has actually finally managed to exhaust any and all good will those achievements (rightfully) earned him. Just go away. Please. Let me listen to Nothing's Shocking without thinking about how much I'd like to punch you in the cock. Is that too much to ask? I think not...
Then you have the oh-so-naughtily named Fucked Up who are (shocker) a Punk band. Normally you'd think a band would be shooting themselves in the foot giving themselves an X-rated name like that, but these guys are bad enough that the name won't matter...
Sebastian Tellier is a guy who would probably get his own post if the days weren't counting down so quickly. But the French Popster can be very hit and miss. Sometimes he's genius, but some of his earier stuff is borderline unlistenable. I do like the new record, though...
Repping the ElectroFidgetBlogHouse, Ed Banger records founder Busy P... but I covered him last year... so that leads us to...
Plump DJs
Who they are: A couple of blokes from London. I remember a friend of mine had a great story about partying with these guys, but I can't remember any more than that. And you just wasted 5 seconds of your life reading that sentence. Sorry 'bout that :P
What they sound like: These guys are probably the foremost practitioners of the Breaks biznezz... is it just me, or are Breaks on the outs right now? Seems like you hardly hear anything about this kinda music anymore. But rest assured, the Plumps are still bringin' the heat...
(MP3 REMOVED AT THE REQUEST OF FINGER LICKIN' RECORDS... GO BUY IT!)
What I think: It's gonna be a lovely break (pun possibly intended) from all the grindy ElectroBlogFidgetHouse in the Sahara Tent, that's for sure. The selection on the YouTubes was rather pathetic, though...
I shall now return to my regularly scheduled nicotine fit... (shivers) (twitches uncontrollably)
Today's loser roundup begins with Late Of The Pier, who one could compare in many ways to Friendly Fires, except for the part where I said Friendly Fires were really, really good...
Next we have The Horrors, who only have one song on their Myspace, which makes it pretty hard for me to draw any sweeping conclusions about them... but I will anyways. The conclusion is "meh"...
And it wouldn't be Coachella without Perry Farrell now, would it. Now as big of a free pass as Perry gets for Jane's Addiction and inventing Lollapalooza, it's pretty amazing that he has actually finally managed to exhaust any and all good will those achievements (rightfully) earned him. Just go away. Please. Let me listen to Nothing's Shocking without thinking about how much I'd like to punch you in the cock. Is that too much to ask? I think not...
Then you have the oh-so-naughtily named Fucked Up who are (shocker) a Punk band. Normally you'd think a band would be shooting themselves in the foot giving themselves an X-rated name like that, but these guys are bad enough that the name won't matter...
Sebastian Tellier is a guy who would probably get his own post if the days weren't counting down so quickly. But the French Popster can be very hit and miss. Sometimes he's genius, but some of his earier stuff is borderline unlistenable. I do like the new record, though...
Repping the ElectroFidgetBlogHouse, Ed Banger records founder Busy P... but I covered him last year... so that leads us to...
Plump DJs
Who they are: A couple of blokes from London. I remember a friend of mine had a great story about partying with these guys, but I can't remember any more than that. And you just wasted 5 seconds of your life reading that sentence. Sorry 'bout that :P
What they sound like: These guys are probably the foremost practitioners of the Breaks biznezz... is it just me, or are Breaks on the outs right now? Seems like you hardly hear anything about this kinda music anymore. But rest assured, the Plumps are still bringin' the heat...
(MP3 REMOVED AT THE REQUEST OF FINGER LICKIN' RECORDS... GO BUY IT!)
What I think: It's gonna be a lovely break (pun possibly intended) from all the grindy ElectroBlogFidgetHouse in the Sahara Tent, that's for sure. The selection on the YouTubes was rather pathetic, though...
I shall now return to my regularly scheduled nicotine fit... (shivers) (twitches uncontrollably)
01 April 2009
Blog-achella 09: K'Nice
Considering I have picked today, the 15th anniversary of my arrival in La Ciudad, to once again try to quit smoking and my focus is, at best, non-existant, here's some acts to skip in scattered, list-y form...
Themselves - Hip-Hop dudes Doseone & Jel of the Anticon family. Really, really weird shit... and not intriguing weird. More WTF weird... and I can't imagine it not being a hot mess live.
Shepard Fairey - The artist who gave you the Obama "Hope" graphic apparently has decided he's a DJ now, too. Great. Now you have something in common with Lindsay Lohan, dude. Maybe Joaquin Phoenix will come out and rap with him.
Vivian Girls - The concept of an all-girl punk band that sings in three part harmony sounds good on paper... but in this case only on paper.
No Age - No Way (See what I did there? Heh? Heh?)
Supermayer - These guys I would do a full post about were I not pressed for time. It's a team-up of Kompakt Techno dudes Superpitcher and Michael Mayer, but it's not just techno, not by a long shot. Definitely check out the tunes on their Myspace.
Brian Jonestown Massacre - A '90s L.A. band that I didn't care about then and certainly don't care about now. If that sounds mean, remember, I crave nicotine right now like Clay Aiken craves cock.
But here's a guy you should check out...
K'Naan
Who he is: A Somali ex-pat based in Toronto who's very popular in Canada. He's won Juno Awards... you know, the ones presented by pregnant teens...
What he sounds like: K'Naan actually reminds me quite a bit of Wyclef Jean... which, if you're scoring at home, is a good thing. I mean, a Mulatu Astatke sample and a guest verse by Chubb Rock? Fuck and yes...
What I think: Since I've already told you what I think, this just in... the first day to finally sell-out single day passes is... Friday? Shocker. I guess Grandma McCartney really is a big draw. Anyhoo, here's K'Naan live with a bit of a surprise...
Wacky cover versions definitely work at Coachella, maybe he'll do "Band On The Run" in a Macca tribute. Hey, ya never know...
Themselves - Hip-Hop dudes Doseone & Jel of the Anticon family. Really, really weird shit... and not intriguing weird. More WTF weird... and I can't imagine it not being a hot mess live.
Shepard Fairey - The artist who gave you the Obama "Hope" graphic apparently has decided he's a DJ now, too. Great. Now you have something in common with Lindsay Lohan, dude. Maybe Joaquin Phoenix will come out and rap with him.
Vivian Girls - The concept of an all-girl punk band that sings in three part harmony sounds good on paper... but in this case only on paper.
No Age - No Way (See what I did there? Heh? Heh?)
Supermayer - These guys I would do a full post about were I not pressed for time. It's a team-up of Kompakt Techno dudes Superpitcher and Michael Mayer, but it's not just techno, not by a long shot. Definitely check out the tunes on their Myspace.
Brian Jonestown Massacre - A '90s L.A. band that I didn't care about then and certainly don't care about now. If that sounds mean, remember, I crave nicotine right now like Clay Aiken craves cock.
But here's a guy you should check out...
K'Naan
Who he is: A Somali ex-pat based in Toronto who's very popular in Canada. He's won Juno Awards... you know, the ones presented by pregnant teens...
What he sounds like: K'Naan actually reminds me quite a bit of Wyclef Jean... which, if you're scoring at home, is a good thing. I mean, a Mulatu Astatke sample and a guest verse by Chubb Rock? Fuck and yes...
K'Naan - ABC's (ft. Chubb Rock) (ysi)
What I think: Since I've already told you what I think, this just in... the first day to finally sell-out single day passes is... Friday? Shocker. I guess Grandma McCartney really is a big draw. Anyhoo, here's K'Naan live with a bit of a surprise...
Wacky cover versions definitely work at Coachella, maybe he'll do "Band On The Run" in a Macca tribute. Hey, ya never know...
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