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Review: DOOM, Born Like This

Posted in Music Reviews, Reviews with tags Born Like This, doom, Ghostface Killah, J Dilla, Jake One, MF Doom, Raekwon, Thom Yorke on Tuesday, April 7, 2009 by Tim Althaus

born-like-this1 As if MF Doom (sorry DOOM) had to make it any more confusing, he added yet another moniker to the seemingly endless list of names. Born Like This is his first outing under the alias known as DOOM (yes, it has to be ALL CAPS). It’s always been hard for me to put a term on how I feel about MF Doom’s music, it’s great, but I just don’t know where I sit with it. If there’s one thing for sure, he never fails in making me laugh my ass of. DOOM is one of the funniest and quirkiest emcees I’ve ever heard, I love the way that he rhymes and the things he spits about.

With the information above being said lets start by saying that the production on this album is nothing short of amazing. With the majority of production being handled by DOOM himself (DOOM has always been a great fucking producer), the rest of the production is handled by Jake One, J Dilla & Thom Yorke (only on the iTunes purchase) . By the names already mentioned, you should have a pretty good idea that the beats on this album are going to be pretty close to off the charts. Continue reading →

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Ryan B.’s 25 Most Influential Albums (in haiku)

Posted in The Learned Man's Take with tags at the drive-in, black flag, blink 182, blood brothers, bob marley, converge, deerhunter, gojira, Isis, led zeppelin, mastodon, mogwai, nachtmystium, nailbomb, neko case, nine inch nails, pig destroyer, pink floyd, ratatat, snapcase, sonic youth, soulfly, the wailers, trail of dead on Monday, March 30, 2009 by Ryan Buege

Finally, we are at the end of March, and the time has come for me to put the closing bell on the Mind Inversion tribute to the recently popular Facebook meme on your most influential albums. I’ll have you know that, like most lists I make, the albums for this list were brainstormed rather quickly, and I think that’s a good thing. If an album were actually as influential as I thought, their importance should be fairly easy for me to recall. Truthfully, I’ve never really become too embarrassed about any album that I own; sure, I may have made some questionable choices in my youngest years, but somehow I’ve always seemed to have a remarkably good bullshit detector when it comes to music. What follows is a journey through the albums that had the biggest impact on forming my tastes and such over the years. If you really love the music I post about, read on for a brief reverse-chronological (moreorless) recounting of my most influential albums. For better or worse, I’ve written them out as haikus for your enjoyment!

25. Nachtmystium, Assassins: Black Meddle, Part I

Sick, twisted, subtle
Black metal psychedelia
With soul of Pink Floyd

24. Deerhunter, Cryptograms

Melodies so sweet
And a massive wall of noise!
A new Sonic Youth?

Continue reading →

Album Review: The Whitest Boy Alive, Rules

Posted in Audio, Music News, Music Reviews with tags bass, best of 2009, dance, download, dreams, erland oye, Indie, mp3, New Album, rules, synth, Whitest Boy Alive on Thursday, March 26, 2009 by Erik Burg

rules-cover One of my most heavily anticipated albums of the year, Rules by the Whitest Boy Alive came as a welcome surprise. An album that didn’t break barriers for the group, yet comes across as one of the most polished and perfected albums so far in 2009. Much like it’s 2006 predecessor Dreams, this album has some of the best bass hooks and strategically placed synth keys I’ve heard on record.

The album plays off those two elements, from the beginning of each track, to the end. “Intentions,” one of my favorite tracks on the album, begins with ten or fifteen seconds of just keys, slowly building and gaining pace. As echoing and yet amazingly funk as the bass hook starting off “Time bomb,” the synths and bass parts really feed off each other and create an extremely mellow and immersive feeling for the listener.

Setting themselves apart from the other bands that try and do the same thing, Whitest Boy Alive possess one of the finest voices in all the music game. And mixed together with sparse guitar chords, the lyrics shine. The vocalist, Erland Oye, also a part of Kings of Convenience, has a certain aesthetic about him that reminds of me Jens Lekman. The music is stunning and powerful, but the vocals demand most of the energy whether to digest the uniqueness of it, or just to immerse yourself even deeper than the crazy instrumentals already take you.

I always see Whitest Boy Alive talked about as a dance group, but I’ve never understood it. Neither Dreams nor Rules have been over the top club bangers or anything of the sort, maybe it’s the calm vocals that bring the group down a notch, who knows. Sure there are heavy, and I mean heavy bass lines streaming across the entire album along with the synth as well, but I find myself tapping my toe along to it much more than jumping off the futon to cut some rug. I’ve always found Whitest Boy Alive to be calming, and beyond pleasing, perfect for any weather. Poignant lyrics to boot.

Rules has lived up to all hype I had for it, weary that it might not live up to the amazing Dreams, I can easily assure any fan of the first album that this one will blow you away. Culminating in one of the best singles of the year, “Islands,” the Whitest Boy Alive will surprise anybody out there looking to get into some new music. It’s a shame that these guys don’t receive more press, what they do is not only their own, but it’s mastered to a T.

Get more info about the album, written by singer Erland Oye. Or BUY THE ALBUM through Erland’s record label Bubbles.

9 out of 10

Check ‘Em Out MP3: The Whitest Boy Alive – “Timebomb”

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Tim’s Top 10 Albums of All-Time (At Least To This Point)

Posted in Mind Inversion Exclusive, The Learned Man's Take with tags El-P, Evidence, Gang Starr, Hip-Hop, J Dilla, Jedi Mind Tricks, Masta Ace, Pete Rock, Reflection Eternal, Rjd2, Rock, The Who, top 10 albums on Wednesday, March 18, 2009 by Tim Althaus

I have to tell you all that this list was one of the hardest things I’ve had to get myself to do, because I knew it wasn’t going to be anywhere near easy. Even while going through this list I had to constantly change things because I felt something was missing. This list (to the best of my abilities) contains the quintessential list of albums that shaped my taste in music. To be put another way, I don’t know where I would be without these albums. I can also say that I feel that each one of these albums is timeless as well a masterpiece. So without further ado…

Top 10 Albums of All-Time (In Order from 10-1)

The Who – Live At Leeds (Deluxe Edition): Honestly I don’t even know where to begin when it comes to this album. I remember buying it in the store years ago, and it cost me just about thirty-five dollars. It may be the best money I’ve ever spent on an album. This album truly shows the pure rock fury of The Who. If you have ever had a doubt in your life as to the legitimacy of The Who, please listen to this album. The original album was released with just 35 minutes of the 120, and this album has all of it. This is one of the greatest live albums of all time, no doubt in my mind. Every single member of The Who sounds precise and musically sound. This also might be the heaviest material you will ever here from The Who. From the rapid fire boulder crashing drums of Keith Moon to the lion roaring vocals of Roger Daltrey this album is everything a live album should be and more… Continue reading →

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Album Review: DM Stith, Heavy Ghost

Posted in Music Reviews with tags album review, ashmatic kitty, DM stith, download, heavy ghost, just once, mp3, New Release, stream on Friday, March 13, 2009 by Erik Burg

Entrenched with a musical background, DM Stith had shut music out of his like for some 20 years. Refusing to sing at age of 8 for the next two decades, Stith instead tried focusing on visual arts and writing. An attempted novel in college, along with a children’s book written and illustrated by himself, had failed. Leaving Stith with few options other than to return to the life he seems almost destined for.

heavy20ghost

With the release of his first full length album, which he began writing and recording while helping friend Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond record Bring Me the Workhorse, Stith attempts to accomplish through song what he has been wrestling with for years: “I’ve been really fascinated by some ideas about the functioning dichotomies of the mind, The crux of this idea… is that these different selves, these voices that influence the way we behave, these bundles of memory and self-protection, are things we can’t rid ourselves of.” This idea shows through in his music as well, undoubtedly so. The twelve track LP, entitled Heavy Ghost, clearly illustrates the kind of beauty and unexpectedness that Stith seeks in life. The album is littered with eclectic instrumentals, yet is grounded in the piano and strings. His vocals create stunning landscapes that match the almost ebb and flow that the album has. Flooding the listeners with tense strings, tribal percussion, and nervous piano, DM Stith is able to captivate the listeners each and every song.

It’s admittedly hard for me to try and write a solid review for this album because it’s so tightly knit. The instruments are bound to the vocals, and vice versa. Each track remains its own, but the album actually feels like an album. The patterns and repetition used throughout keeps the listener in the moment, never allowing you to become lazy or bored. Though Stith remarks about the album title that “Ghost, for me was a metaphor, not mysticism,” the piano keys seem to be a way for Stith to release his inner ghosts. It’s truly an amazing album. Heavy Ghost never lets up either, all the way through its final track “Wig,” DM Stith is able to make his formula work.

And lucky for you, if you haven’t heard any of DM Stith’s album yet, you can stream the entire thing over at Muxtape right now, I’ll post the link below. Interested in some of his other works as well? Two brilliant EPs were released before Heavy Ghost and you can find them on his website as well, below is an mp3 of the breathtaking “Just Once” off of the Curtain Speech EP. Check out his Flickr account as well.

DM Stith – Heavy Ghost 8.5 out of 10

STREAM HEAVY GHOST FOR FREE

MP3: DM Stith – “Just Once” off of the Curtain Speech EP

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Review: Brother Ali, The Truth Is Here EP

Posted in Music Reviews with tags Brother Ali, Hip-Hop, Rhymesayers Entertainment, Slug on Monday, March 9, 2009 by Tim Althaus

There isn’t one project that Brother Ali has done that I can say is below average, or below great for that matter. This effort follows the same track record Ali has gained for himself and shoots him miles into the atmosphere (no pun intended) of greatness. There’s no denying it, Ant & Brother Ali can make some great fucking music. If you only gave these two a tape recorder and a snare drum there’s still a great chance that they could cook up a classic. The chemistry between these two just meshes seamlessly and every time they make a record it’s a classic, or as close to it as you can get. Continue reading →

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Erik’s Top Ten Albums of All-Time

Posted in The Learned Man's Take with tags Arcade Fire, Audio, beck, broken social scene, daft punk, download, El-P, Erik Burg, fleet foxes, Hercules and Love Affair, lcd soundsystem, led zeppelin, Lists, mind inversion, the beatles, top 10 albums on Thursday, March 5, 2009 by Erik Burg

Pretty obvious, I think you know what you’re getting yourself into here. We here at Mind Inversion want you the reader to better know where all of us writers are coming from, as far as what’s changed our lives musically. So we’ll be running a special once a week for the next month, accompanied by Sound Immersion #2, that will be spotlighting our favorite music. I have the fine pleasure of starting this all off, which is pretty exciting. I’ve always thought about albums as “my favorite” much like I’m sure any person has, but actually having to compile a definitive top ten list seemed daunting. But alas, after many cuts, I finalized a list that I’m extremely happy about.

#1. LCD SOUNDSYSTEM – Lcd Soundsystem.Where would I be today without this album? Well for starters, not on this blog, not listening to music, and quite possibly actually finding lil wayne to be an enjoyable artist. This one album single handedly changed my life… Continue reading →

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Album Review: Zombi, Spirit Animal

Posted in Audio, Music Reviews with tags album review, download, electro, instrumental, jam, live, mp3, New Release, spirit animal, stream, synth, Video, zombi on Monday, February 23, 2009 by Erik Burg

spirit-animal If there was ever an album to be described as epic, and in the actual definition of the word, not “epic” as in “cool”, this is that album. Hands down. Whether it’s a good or a bad thing, I can’t truly decide yet. Far and away the most sprawling and expansive album I’ve nearly ever heard, Spirit Animal is a rare treat for all those instrumentalist fans out there. It’s like a modern day Phish or Grateful Dead, minus the drugs and bad music, and with more synthesizers and keyboards. The shortest track runs seven minutes, three of them over 11 minutes, and plenty of tunage in between.

And I can’t tell, for the life of me, whether I like it or not. I mean sure, I can appreciate it musically and acknowledge the fact that the two guys are greatly talented, but I feel like if I was playing this in my room alone I’d rather not be caught doing so. Spirit Animal while at times mesmerizing, can get quote cheesy at time… there I said it. It’s just so, like I said, epic, that you just want to laugh at it and tell Zombi to stop taking themselves so seriously. But hey, maybe that’s it’s charm, that nothing else like this has existed on a mainstream level in a long time.

Another problem that I have with this album is that it become extremely repetitive, whether it’s in the structure of each song, or repetitive as a song itself. What Zombi does well it does very well. Heavy synth that matches the electro guitar, dark bass line, and drums that never stop, often breaking into few minute long jams that astound the listener. And all of that is great, it really is, but Spirit Animal kills it for me, sorry. I would probably be in love with this as a five track 24 minute long EP instead of this hour long five track whirlwind of an album. It’s all crazy stuff, maybe it’s over my head, I don’t know really. But what I so know is that Zombi can jam and put together some impressive material, it’s just that they do it for too long, and in an almost embarrassing fashion. I can be over kill, and it can be genius.

Lucky for you, Zombi is streaming the entire album. Or you can be lazy and grab on of the tracks below. I’d encourage checking out all of their stuff I’ve got posted here. I think you’ll definitely see what I mean about these guys. It’s worth your time.

6.5 never-ending drum solos and synth pedals out of 10

Stream: the entire “Spirit Animal” HERE

MP3: Zombi – “Spirit Animal”

Zombi live @ the Empty Bottle in Chicago 4/28/07

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Album Review: Knonam, Loud.com EP + Download

Posted in Downloads, Music Reviews with tags Brother Ali, Eyedea, Knonam, Loud.com EP, MPLS Hip-Hop, Rhymesayers, Royce Da 5'9" on Monday, February 23, 2009 by Tim Althaus

knonam-loudcomepcover250 I don’t think I talk enough about how happy Minneapolis Hip-Hop makes me. For the last 15 years there has been Hip-Hop pouring out of the great city of Minneapolis from the Rhymesayers team. Ever since I was in 10th grade I’ve had the great pleasure of finding out about it all, or so I thought. A lot of people don’t know that there are still a lot of other great emcees in the Twin Cities, and Knonam (pronounced No Name) is a great testament to my previous statement. I found this gem on the internet a little while ago, to be honest I can’t remember where I found it, but I wish I did so I could give them the props they deserve.

This EP is only technically seven tracks long (Brother Ali does the intro), and it features some of the biggest names in the midwest on guest appearances (Brother ali, Eyedea & Royce Da 5’9″). This EP also has stellar production from behind the boards courtesy of Knonam and Jake One. Knonam is one of those guys that fires off rhymes like a machine gun, all while making it seem so effortless. Every track on this EP is quality, I don’t think there is one track I would skip if I was listening to this album. Knonam’s production is very heavily influenced by 80’s music and it’s very easy to tell on tracks like “1988” & “Ransom” . The track “Hold It” featuring Brother Ali is pretty close to as perfect as you are going to get. In the first verse Knonam spits: ” The day I retreat to ya’ I’ll spit without clips/watch me swallow a Rubik’s Cube and shit it out fixed”, and Brother Ali spits: “We come to your town umpteen deep, and wipe your legacy out in one clean sweep!”. That’s the common theme of this album, dope ass rhymes with punchlines on every track.

Knonam actually dropped a debut album last year called Length of the Blade which you can purchase here. I am going to make sure I get myself a copy of that album, and everything else this guy does. It’s always really refreshing to me to be able to find out about such great talent so close to home. This is probably the most refreshing EP I’ve heard besides The LAyover EP in years, Knonam really brings the heat. I’m telling you, don’t sleep on this, you will truly regret it.

10/10

Guess what? You can download this EP for free! HERE!

Album Review: Gregor Samsa, Over Air

Posted in Music Reviews with tags desmet studios, gregor samsa, labradford, live, post-rock, vpro on Wednesday, February 18, 2009 by Ryan Buege

Gregor Samsa, Over Air As I sit here fully expecting winter to be over, some of the biggest snowflakes of the season start to make their way to the ground. Nothing is better for stifling my mild anger at this occasion and inciting some reflection than some uplifting post-rock. To my luck, there is a new album in my collection that is perfect for the occasion, Over Air by Gregor Samsa. This Virgina-based band has assembled a collection of live radio recordings, alternate mixes of previous songs, and an eerie remix from Labradford that amplify their heavenly, multi-layered brilliance with a warmer organic atmosphere than I’ve heard them record thus far.

While I was skeptical at first whether or not this radio session at Amsterdam ‘s Desmet Studios for VPRO would be worth my time, the quality of these songs exceeds that of many releases I’ve heard this year. In truth, this patchwork collection of songs definitely plays like an album, and even reworked songs like “Young & Old” and the non-live mixes sound right in place and are breathing a new life. The live setting does wonders for the atmosphere of the record, as well. It’s quite blissful to see the white, puffy snow drift down as Champ Bennet’s fingers slowly grind along the strings of guitar during a chord change or when the dual vocal melodies exponentiate the wash of noise.

The free flowing driving rhythm and unified (and pronounced) male and female voices of these songs easily distinguish Gregor Samsa from many of the other bands they’re frequently compared to (GY!BE, Sigur Ros, Brian Eno), and the direction of the material is generally much more lively and positive. While they aren’t afraid to shift into more somber territory for extended periods of time, the warm, heart-melting vocals and quiet beeps, storming pianos, rhythmic glitches, and live ambiance keep these sections from feeling neither boring nor depressing. It’s an album that takes its time, causing you to beg for more while you hang on each note. Nothing on the album sounds forced, and the music changes pace very naturally; now it’s fading out, as is the passing storm storm.

If you’re interested in more about this awesome composition, keep reading to dig deeper and view videos & download mp3s from the album and access Gregor Samsa on the web… Continue reading →