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Review: Q-Tip, The Renaissance

Posted in Music Reviews with tags A Tribe Called Quest, Hip-Hop, J Dilla, Q-Tip on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 by Tim Althaus

It’s been 9 long years since Q-Tip has put out a solo album (and even longer since we’ve heard something from Tribe except for Rock The Bells), and the last time he put out a solo album it had the beat crafting of J Dilla. If it weren’t for the label disagreement with Kamaal the Abstract we would have seen a Tip release sooner.

9 years later and The Renaissance is here, and boy is it one hell of an album. The first thing that I really want to stress about this album is that Q-Tip has some serious production skills on top of his already “all the time” “on point” rhymes. This album carries more of a funk/groove feel to it that creates a great vibe for the album as well as Tip’s rhymes. The album starts out with “Johnny Is Dead” which has a great guitar riff at the begininning and a mesmerizing beat throughout and Q-Tip’s flow is like liquid over the track (keeping in mind that he doesn’t sound half bad singing). “Won’t Trade” is another great beat with a spot on sample (“I wouldn’t trade it for nothin’!”) that compliments the piano in the background. “Gettin’ Up” which was the album’s lead single is one of the highlights on the album with a rolling thick bassline and great piano melody. Tip’s rhymes fit “Gettin’ Up” perfectly (as well as every single track on the album) and the track gives off a very groovy feel. I really like the track “Official” because the cuts are crazy and I love the beat as well as the sample, I can’t keep saying this enough as well but Q-Tip really flows well and sings great over this track. The Highlight of this album in my opinion is definitely “Move” which is the only track produced by someone else, and of course it’s Dilla. The first part of this track literally smacked me right in the face and gave me a great vibe, the Jackson 5 flip on this is amazing and the beat just makes me want to dance. I can see why Tip loved to work with Dilla because their chemistry together is great and always makes for an amazing track.

This album is very solid from front to back and there really aren’t any moments that I can say make this album drag at all. This album is going to be a serious contender for album of the year on a lot of people’s charts, and makes for a great late entry. You can bet that it’s going to make a great deal of top 10 lists without question.

8.5/10

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Review: DJ Babu, Duck Season, Vol. 3

Posted in Music Reviews with tags Beat Junkies, Dilated Peoples, DJ Babu, Evidence, Hip-Hop, Little Brother, MF Doom, Oh No, Sean Price on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 by Tim Althaus

Well what can I say? It definitely took me way too long for me to get a good review of this album up, partially because I have been terribly fucking busy with school and work. But suffice to say I found some time to give my view on this album.

First I want to say that Babu is one of the best DJ’s I’ve ever heard because his skill is unparalleled. He’s had an illustrious career with Dilated Peoples, gained fame with the World Famous Beat Junkies, and has been revered as one of the greatest battle DJ’s of all time. Babu is also a great beat maker (he put out The Beat Tape Vol. 1 last year) and this album truly shows that Babu is always in deep concentration.

Duck Season, Vol. 3 starts out the best way you could possibly start an album if you’re Babu, with the people you’ve been with your whole career. Evidence and Rakaa spit razor sharp verses on this track and the beat is crazy good. Keep in mind this is an intro and in my opinion at 1:47 long it could be my favorite on the album (I love the Looney Tunes sample at the end, as well as throughout the album). “Fan Mail” with Little Brother, Joe Scudda & Darrien Brockington is also another insane beat that Babu conjures up, and Big Pooh, Phonte & Scudda knock their verses out of the park like Sammy Sosa. Immediately after “Fan Mail” in my opinion is the best track on the album “The Unexpected” featuring MF DOOM & Sean Price. Doom and Sean Price compliment each other so well on this track and Babu’s canvas is spot on for these two to paint on. They pass the microphone back and forth like they are playing catch and their punchlines are great (Doom: we need to get a new beanie for Babu, the ones and twos genie”, Sean P: I always throw sixes, return an Ike Turner I always throw bitches”). Bishop Lamont makes a great mark on this album on the track “My Opinion” with on point rhymes and allusions the the current situation in the country. Evidence appears twice on the album (on the intro) and on the track “For Whatever It’s Worth” which is another great highlight on the album. The chemistry between EV and Babu is great and it makes for an amazing track. I was also really glad to see that Oh No (Madlib’s little brother) is starting to get some recognition (he’s on a track with Roc C entitled “Meant To Be”), he’s one of my favorite producers as well as emcees, and it’a about time more people gave him attention.

All in all this is an above average album, there are a lot of tracks that just don’t mesh with the rest of the album and tend to make it drag. This is however a great display of how good at beat making Babu really is, he can make some great soundscapes.

7.5/10

Review: Black Milk, Tronic

Posted in Music Reviews with tags Black Milk, Detroit Hip-Hop, Fat Beats, Hip-Hop, Tronic on Wednesday, October 29, 2008 by Tim Althaus

It seems like this year the show formerly know as Hip-Hop is being stolen away by the state of Michigan (Detroit area specifically). So far this year we have seen new albums from Guilty Simpson, 14KT, Buff1, two incredible albums from Elzhi and now we are privileged enough to receive Tronic with open arms. Last year Black Milk released Popular Demand to critical acclaim as a self producing emcee. I have to admit that it was one of my favorite albums of last year, and Tronic is definitely one of my favorites this year. Black Milk is one of those guys that just drops my jaw every time that I hear something new of his because it’s like nothing I’ve ever heard before, I hate to compare him to Dilla (because there is no comparison) but Milk is taking it to that level very rapidly.

I have to say that this album had me from the beginning track “Long Story Short”. I was completely blown away by the elements of this track. It starts out with an almost “futuristic” synthesizer sound and fades to a beautiful piano melody. What comes next is a beat the hit me like a ton of bricks, it was so hard it almost made me cry. The incredible thing about the track is it literally is a long story short, it’s Black’s entire life up to this point in time and he tells his fable like Aesop. “Losing Out”, which is a track that features crafty veteran fire spitting Royce Da 5’9″, is another great track because the beat is lights out (particularly the sample) and Black and Royce exchange some straight butter verses. Black is very good on his verses but Royce holds his own as well and outshines Black a little. The only real conclusion comes out of Royce’s mouth in his last 8 bars: “I’m talking bout how we got it mastered, the fact is whenever me and Black do a track it’s a classic!” Detroit native Fat Ray (who earlier this year released an album with Black Milk titled The Set Up) joins Black on the hook for the track “Hell Yeah” which has a ridiculously hard beat, and some vicious flows from Black: “The whole world’s been patiently waitin’ for my comin’ to strike, patiently waitin’ like the second comin’ of Christ”. The track that most people would call the highlight of Tronic, “The Matrix“, which features the legendary DJ Premier, Pharoahe Monch, and Sean Price is a straight classic and Pharoahe Monch absolutely kills this track: “Four finger ring rap sling slang Pharoahe the flows good/You couldn’t hang if you was Ving Rhames in Rosewood” “…Like the pant legs around the ankles of hipsters, I’m tight/Paint a more visual picture than Pixar…”. Black spits a great tongue twisting verse, and Sean Price never made gangs seem so interesting with his word usage: “I’m a kryptonite, but a blood today, Latin King tomorrow…”. The cuts on the album are done by Premier, and he never made it seem so effortless: “You love my style cuz’ I’m not what you used to, caught in the matrix… you’re in my danger field like Rodney”. I think that the track “Reppin’ For You” might be the highlight of the album for me. It has a great head noddin’ beat and Black’s flow to this track is lights out: “Every single line was written explodin’ like bombs droppin’/It’s like I’m Bin Laden when my pen’s jottin/The best to most with extra votes/A flow that’ll shock most like electric volts”.

All in all this is a great album and should be a indication of how great the Hip-Hop scene in Detroit really is. There are a few tracks that drag a little bit, but not enough to give this album anywhere near an average or below average review. Black Milk could hold up the city of Detroit on his shoulders, and chances are he probably will sooner than later with efforts like his last two. Tronic shows you what the definition of a producing/emcee should be.

9/10

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Foundations of Music

Posted in Music Reviews with tags air, boards of canada, broken social scene, Isis, m83, pink floyd, sigur ros, super furry animals on Monday, October 27, 2008 by raeflect

I am, (as are all the contributors to this site of literary exchange) a music lover. From when I was a small child, to as I am today, music in all it’s various forms has helped shape who I am and how I live my life. Thinking about ‘Violent by Design,’ spurred on by alteezimo’s article, I began to think of all the albums that have in the last five or six years affected this evolution. Many of these albums were either given or suggested by friends, who have assuredly also placed most if not all in the ‘never discard’ section of the individual’s music memory.

Personally, had these albums been physical records, I would have over time carved the grooves into canyons. These eight albums make up a core of my music listening history, and will forever be a part of my music library.

Air – Talkie Walkie

This album introduced me to the genius of Air, and helped forge my love of electronic music.

Boards of Canada – The Campfire Headphase

Being a drummer, I absolutely love stylish, inventive beats, and simple though many of their loops may be, their creativity in frequency and static distortion definitely makes them stand out from the very large crowd of electronic artists. It’s a shame they have not released any official material since 2006.

Broken Social Scene – You Forgot It in People

First introduced to me by my friend Shannon, this album absolutely captivated me, being of a sort of rock music that I had never known existed. My favorite track on this album is ‘Looks just like the Sun’ which sounds like two people sitting with their feet up on a porch railing: the sun setting over a gently flowing lake glittered with sparkling reflections while their docile music tones float around.

Isis – Panopticon

I bought this album only weeks after it’s release, on the recommendation of my friend Ryan, and I’ve never looked back. Just as ‘Violent by Design’ gave me an introduction to hip-hop, ‘Panopticon’ showed me the way to a now great appreciation of metal. Hearing many of the songs off this album played live proved to me that we can expect much more great music from this band.

M83 – Before the Dawn Heals Us

In it’s own way, ‘Before the Dawn Heals Us’ is one of the heaviest albums I own. Although I would associate it more with electronic music than rock, tracks such as ‘Don’t Save Us From the Flames,’ ‘Fields Shorelines and Hunters,’ ‘Asterick,’ and ‘Teen Angst’ are definite head bangers, and from firsthand knowledge: Loud and very intense live.

Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here

Convinced of their worth by my brother, but lacking knowledge of their catalog, I picked up this album maybe in seventh or eight grade, and since that first listen of ‘Shine on You Crazy Diamond (part I-V)’ my respect for Pink Floyd has never lapsed.

Sigur Ros- Takk

I saw Sigur Ros live in Madison just weeks after buying this album, and I can say that to this day, dozens of great shows later, that was one of my all time favorites. Their obvious skill for music composition reveals itself in the subtlety and direction of the string quartet section, everpresent on this album.

Super Furry Animals – Phantom Power

I love all of Super Furry’s catalog, but the playful and carefree nature of this album, backed up by it’s strong yet never over-reaching electronics, beautiful harmonies, and wonderfully crafted drum beats marks it as entirely unique in my mind. The slight background vocal samples, often voiced by Gruff Rhys, add a clever and often humorous touch. I absolutely love the psych-rock jam that breaks down the end of ‘The Piccolo Snare,’ and ‘Slow Life’ remains one of my favorite electronic tracks.

I mostly wrote this so others would share some of their lasting, if not all-time favorite, albums that will always have a place in the ideal music collection. Frankly, I’m just curious.

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Review: Johnson & Jonson, Johnson & Jonson

Posted in Music Reviews with tags Blu, Hip-Hop, Johnson & Jonson, Mainframe on Friday, October 24, 2008 by Tim Althaus

Johnson & Jonson is a group that is comprised of Los Angeles emcee Blu and up-and-coming producer Mainframe. The first thing that I really want you to understand is that this cat Blu can tear apart bars like a prisoner on steroids. I had mentioned in a post that if you hadn’t heard the Blu & Exile project Below the Heavens you needed to. I have no problem with making that statement, it was easily one of the top albums of last year, and I haven’t heard an emcee/DJ duo like that in a long time. The one thing that you need to understand is that Blu is one of those emcees that you totally build tracks around. Blu is so versatile and can rhyme to almost any beat that you provide him with. That’s what I liked about Below the Heavens, you got some of those hard ass hitting beats, and then there were the super soulful beats that were much more calm. Blu is another one of the cats that you really have to watch for, he (along with Evidence, and coincidentally Blu is on the new Evidence EP) is one of the hardest working guys in the game right now. He put out the critically acclaimed Below The Heavens last year, then he put out an album as part of the collective C.R.A.C. Knuckles with Detroit native Ta’Raach, and is now dropping the J&J album.

Right out of the gate Blu has the rhyme thing going on. “J & J” is a great track, and it shows that Blu’s flow has the bite of a pit bull. He rhymes over a beat with thrashing cymbals, bleepy synths and a wicked ass bass line with such ferocity that you would think his next meal depended on it. “Up All Night” is a perfect example of what I mean with Blu switching up his flow. On “J&J” Blu is rapping pretty fast, and then on “Up All Night” Mainframe totally slows down the beat and puts in a nice bass line with some basic drums, but as I said before it sounds like Blu was meant for the beat. I have to say that “Mama Told Me” is one of my favorite highlights of the album. It has a feel good horn driven beat and Blu reminisces on his childhood and the lessons that he learned as a child. The great thing about Blu is that he can bring you the punchlines, similes and metaphors, but he can also tell one hell of a story at the same time.

Another thing that I really have to get into is Mainframe. I hadn’t really heard of him until this project came out, and I’m glad I was exposed to his style. He is one producer who can really switch up a style and still make it sound really good. Mainframe will be one of those producers you really want to look for in the near future. We are talking about a guy that as of right now only has just over 2,000 hits on his MySpace, after this album blows up Mainframe will start getting some bigger projects.

Something I want to point out is that the majority of the tracks on this album are three minutes or less. That means that a lot of these tracks are pretty brief. Shakespear once said “Brevity is the soul of wit”, I think this album might be an exact representation of that quote. Blu & Mainframe tend to keep it brief but boy this album definitely makes its mark. After hearing Johnson & Jonson I know you are going to want to hear more from both of these artists. The album makes for a great listen and the humorous additions to the Johnson family are an added plus (Mainframe rhyming as Jon Johnson, Miguel Jontel as Tell Johnson, Co$$ as Troy Johnson and Bobo Lamb as Jack Johnson).

8/10

Check the video for “J&J”

Global Metal is amazing (and it will be in stores soon)

Posted in Movie Reviews with tags global metal, megadeth, metallica, sam dunn, scott mcfayden, sepultura, sigh, slayer, tang dynasty on Tuesday, October 21, 2008 by Ryan Buege

After the release of his 2005 documentary Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey, anthropologist (and lifelong metalhead) Sam Dunn became a renowned figure in the international metal community. The film was a poignant and passionate portrayal of the history behind this infamously beloved genre and the working class roots that it embodies. While A Headbanger’s Journey served perfectly as both outsider’s introduction into the depths of the world of metal and an affirmation to fellow metalheads to keep headbanging, Dunn realized that there was a much bigger story to tell.

Soon after the release of A Headbanger’s Journey, Dunn and his coconspirator Scott McFayden set about filming a followup to their ultimate metal documentary. The next chapter is entitled Global Metal, and it is just as brilliant as the first.

In Global Metal, Dunn and McFayden circle the planet to tell the story of how metal has been adopted by like-minded kids in some of the unlikeliest of places. Through this documentary, we are able to see how the culture, dedication and stigma that comes with extreme music is a part of life for people all around the world – from America and Germany to Brazil, India, China, Japan, and Iran. The most interesting aspect of the film is its documentation of the way is which metal as been molded to become a voice of the people in these third world countries. As Dunn explains, these new fans of metal aren’t just listening to metal, they’re making it something entirely their own. The cultural aspects between the places that are visited in the film are so strikingly different that one can’t help but wonder in what ways the genre can be reinvigorated by being integrated with these cultures in the future. It is a form of expression that has been subverted in many non-Western cultures, but when it is allowed to become a part of their culture it becomes a likely vehicle for social change.

But while Sepultura established Brazil as a remote mecca for metal nearly two full decades ago (and even distinguished metal as music for Brazilians to be proud of), this explicitly western form of music has only recently began to gain popularity in some of the more remote parts of the world. Although the film makes it clear that small pockets troo-metalheads exist in nearly every country, metal is a musical concept that is entirely foreign to most people in these far off destinations – and in many cases they are persecuted for listening to it. Metal has been incorrectly demonized in many of these third-world countries, and without tolerance of their form of expression it is very hard for third-world metal bands to even play their instruments. In the future, it’ll be very interesting to see if metal fans in Jerusalem, Tehran, Beijing, and Mumbai will be allowed the same freedom to bang their heads so that they can make an impact at an international level, as well. As Dunn points out, the feeling that metal provides to its listeners is universal – we all deserve the right to headbang at our own will – we are one global community.

Global Metal premiered in theatres this spring, and on November 4th it will be available for purchase on DVD. It features interviews with members of Metallica, Iron Maiden, Slayer, Sepultura, Sigh, Tang Dynasty and metalheads from every corner of the world. Check out the trailer for the film below:

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Grizzly Bear, The National [New York City, New York; 10/10/08]

Posted in Concert Reviews with tags Grizzly Bear, Indy Rock, New York City, The Hammerstein Ballroom, The National on Monday, October 20, 2008 by gieb0624

With an eight dollar beer buzz, lungs filled with the New York City air, and finely pressed button up shirt that travelled with me from Minneapolis, I was ready for a night out with Grizzly Bear and The National, and let’s just say Matt Berninger (Lead Vocalist of The National) showed a New York City audience what a good show is really all about.

When Grizzly Bear took the stage I didn’t really know what I was going to expect from this Brooklyn based Indy folk band that I had listened to a hand full of times. I was feeling optimistic at first and kept telling myself that it was going to pick up, but I found it never really did. While Grizzly Bear’s rifts sounded pleasant and the vocals alarmingly beautiful, the music seemed to make me fade in and out of interest. At one point I found myself resting my chin on top of my girlfriends head as a prop to hold it up. Even though their album Yellow House can be found on my IPod with a dozen listens or so, I have come to the conclusion that like Ambien, it is best to take just before bed. After what seemed to be a fairly tame bear left the stage, the audience that was now halfway asleep started dozing into their IPod Touches playing games and choking down all the expensive “cheap” beer they could get in before The National would take the stage.

The National entered the stage. Because I was positioned right in the front I was able to notice a little bit of the pre-show sweat that had accumulated on Matt Berninger’s brow. I assumed from the drinks that were carried out with him the vodka and lemonades were going down smooth prior to the show, and to be honest that was perfectly all right with me. Right away the show started. The energy was so much higher than I expected. I had figured that much of the concert was going to consist of select songs from their latest release in 2007, Boxer, which landed them on the cover of Paste Magazine with best album of 2007. I’m not saying that the band didn’t grace us with the slow Bruce Springsteen-esque songs like “Fake Empire” and “Slow Show.” However, it was songs like “Abel,” from their 2005 release Alligator that got me singing at the top of my lungs and throwing my head around like I still had long hair, even though I didn’t. The parts of the show that I found to be the most intriguing all had to do with the lead singer. Because Berninger is just the vocalist and leaves the lead guitars up to the one set out of the four brothers in the band, he ended up being extremely entertaining. He moved around frequently when his vocals were not needed. Throwing his drinks at the back of the stage, yelling at the top of his lungs, and breaking the microphone stand and throwing it, all completed my National experience that night.

The songs danced around The Hammerstein Ballroom like garbage blowing through Times Square. Lovers held each other close when his words were deep and full of passion. Rockers danced about when the emotions got heavy and ending the concert with the song “Mr. November” from Alligator couldn’t have been any more appropriate with the Election in progress. All in all, the lyrics of Matt Berninger were louder than I had ever heard them before and it brought me back to the winter I first listened to The National with a friend while driving through the bluffs of northern Minnesota. We were “half awake in a fake empire.”

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Review: Yeasayer, All Hour Cymbals

Posted in Music Reviews with tags tour dates, yeasayer on Thursday, October 16, 2008 by Ryan Buege

It’s already been a year since the release of this album, but it’s still worthy of my short review here. It’s rare that a modern rock band can breakthrough into my collection so effortlessly, but with All Hour Cymbals Yeasayer did it. Yeasayer has put together an album of effortless ethereal, psychedelic experimental rock that pulls you in at every twist and turn.

“Sunrise” is a brilliant introduction to an album that is packed tightly with with airy Middle Eastern and African influenced joyous rock. At times, the chants that permeate many of the tracks on the album provide an other-worldly ritualistic quality that is hard to place; while it feels like you could use the word gospel to describe it, you don’t want to because it never feels preachy. At the same time, the calming choral vocals are well-balanced by Chris Keating’s somber straight-ahead delivery throughout the rest of the album. “2080” and “Red Cave”, for example, propel that album forward with a confident groove after dwelling in psychedelia and off-kilter rhythms on songs such as “Germs”, “No Need to Worry”, and “Wait for the Wintertime”.

All Hour Cymbals is densely layered with a variety of instrumentation both new and old that unexpectedly coalesce into a sound that is concurrently futuristic and rustic. On this album, Yeasayer has achieved a balance that beautifully flows between a variety styles and allows its listeners to fully experience each. Powered by a combination of ethereal harmonies, polyrhythmic drumming, smoky ambience, and doomy marches, All Hour Cymbals is a perfect introduction to Yeasayer. This album was a perfect complement to last winter, transitioned amazingly into summer listening, and looks like it will still stay a relevant part of my playlist through another winter. The future holds great promises for these guys.

7.5/10

For now though, get excited, because Yeasayer is coming through the midwest this month in support of the album! Keep reading for the dates… Continue reading →

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Review: Elzhi The Preface

Posted in Music Reviews with tags Black Milk, Detroit Hip-Hop, Elzhi, Hip-Hop on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 by Tim Althaus

I must preface this post (no pun intended) with the fact that I was looking forward to this album so much before it dropped, and the fact that most people that listen to Hip-Hop sadly probably don’t even know who Elzhi is. Elzhi became a member of the Detroit collective Slum Village after Jay Dee left to seek solo endeavors. This might have been my most anticipated album of the year just because I had heard Europass (an Exclusive Tour CD) earlier in the year (which will easily also be in my top 10 for the year). On Europass, the majority of the beats are done by Detroit monster Black Milk (whom I’ve already had the pleasure of mentioning many times), and that trend continues here where Black does the majority of production, only two other tracks are produced by someone else (DJ Dez is one).

The album starts out with the Intro (The Preface), most people would normally just skip this, but I think it almost foreshadows how the rest of the album is going to be; great beats and a vicious liquid like flow “This is only the beginning, now everything I’ve been in is included though, it’ll be concluded in the ending/ I thank ya’ll for spendin’ your time, your nickel and dime or four quarters to get your pre-store orders.”. “The Leak” is the first track you hear and of course Elzhi comes out spitting razorblades “Everytime I drop something hot you hear the sirens peak/ It’ll make the water in the hose on the hydrants leak” to an incredible Black Milk beat featuring beautiful voice of Ayah. In a lot of the reviews that I’ve read no one seems to mention the song guessing game which puzzles me, because I think it’s one hell of a clever song. Elzhi spits pretty much the whole sentence and leaves a two syllable word unfinished open for interpretation, and then finishes the word with the opposite of what you thought it would be. Colors is one of the most vivid songs on this album and really shows where Elzhi can excel his rhyming and put a brush to the canvas. He uses an array of colors from the spectrum in every line of his rhyme “Now there’s some that’s dead from fightin’ over bread crumbs/Feedin’ head numb it’s a murder we call it RED rum/Got the boys in BLUE jackets lockin’ up the new youth/That sell PURPLES with BLACKberrys with the BLUE tooth.” Brag Swag might be the most lyrically inclined song I’ve ever heard, the first line sets the standard for the rest of the song: “The day that hell snows is the day that El folds/poetry’s well told/ entertainin’ keep niggas trainin’ like the rail road.”

The only problem that I have (if you even consider it one) is that they put the Fire remix on this official release. I think the original version of Fire that was on the Europass cd was actually better. The Fire remix is still very good and features an all-star Detroit cast (it features Black Milk, Guilty Simpson (who has collaborated with Madlib, J Dilla, and Black Milk), Fat Ray (Who already did a project with Black Milk earlier this year), Fatt Father & Danny Down) who spit catchy punchlines and metaphors.

All in all front to back this is an amazing album, I can guarantee that this album will be in my top 5 for the year, possibly even top 3. It is so refreshing for me to be able to hear about all of these guys in Detroit doing big things. I am very much looking forward to hearing more from Elzhi, he is quickly on his way to becoming the top lyricist in Hip-Hop and with a debut like this the top is just over the next ledge.

9/10

Take a listen to a couple tracks: