Cincy rapper/producer Ill Poetic has taken Joe Buddens critically acclaimed mixtape Mood Music Three, and remixed with it Portishead. Its a pretty good idea because Buddens had a lot of things to say on MM. And Portishead always provides a lot textured emotion.
Of course the drawback is that Portishead it is literally mood music. Buddens is dope. But is anyone trying to fuck to some dood rapping about his hard feelings towards the Big Homie, Jay-z?
Then again on Budden’s 2003 hit, “Pump it Up” dood did prove himself as a regular Henry Miller over here, by saying, “Ma wanna fall in love like I’m cupid. Telling me she don’t give brain like I’m stupid .You can do anything if you put your mind to it.”
All jokes aside, Ill Poetic is a refined producer so this project works really well. If you saw Ill Poetic at the Dilla tribute at So What Wednesdays a couple months ago, then you definatly can tell dood has spent time in the lab. So Mood Music Third works. Be on the look out for Ill Poetic in general. He produced Illogic’s next album Diabolical Fun, due out on Weightless in the fall.
May 8, 2008 – 5:47 pm | Written by J Caleb Mozzocco
If there’s a problem with the Wachowskis’ kinda sorta live-action adaptation Speed Racer, it’s one of address—is this a movie for kids, or for grown-ups who grew up watching the early anime import in its late-sixties heyday (and/or its brief late nineties revival)?
It’s rated PG, and follows the basic structure of the cartoons perfectly (goofy melodrama and racing action for older kids, silly comedy relief involving Spritle and Chim Chim for younger kids).
But it’s also about two hours and fifteen minutes long, kind of heavy on the swearing and arty as all hell.
Will the same kids who enjoy a chimpanzee in osh koshes and think Emile Hirsch and Christina Ricci mashing their perfect lips together is gross appreciate scenes of wicked tycoons talking about manipulating the stockmarket while profiles of their faces float across the screen, or the 2001: A Space Odyssey-like moment where the hero goes so fast he, like, transcends visual information?
I don’t know. This is a film that’s easy to see audiences both loving and hating, depending on the individual sitting in the seats, and their own ages, experiences and preferences. (more…)
I met the guys in The Milwaukees years ago through my pals in Woolworthy. I can’t remember if the bands shared a label, or if they had toured together, or what, but I’ve kept in touch with The Milwaukees — who are actually located in New Jersey — over the years. There last album was titled American Anthems Vol. 1 and it was a raucous dose of rock and/or roll Minneapolis stylee — yes, I’m just going totally location name-happy here — that got a couple spins on the tankPOD.*
Anyway, I wrote elsewhere about the band last year when they went on a “living room” tour. The band booked acoustic shows in fans’ houses and just hopped from city to city. It underscored one of the reasons I really dig the boys, aside from the hooks of course, since they go out of their way to get the word out and get in touch with folks kind enough to give their songs a chance.
Today they just told me they’re now offering all of American Anthems Vol. 1 as a free download from their website. (Wonder if Reznor gave them a pep talk or something?) So I’m pleased to pass this info on to you. If you enjoy pop rock stuff, or that Replacements / Soul Asylum vibe, I recommend you expend a little bandwidth to snag to album.
*Getting more than two plays on the tankPOD is pretty impressive when one considers the sheer volume of music I have to listen to daily just to keep up with things.
Thuggish Ruggish Bizzy Bone will be doing an instore at my work, Magnolia Thunderpussy Records, Saturday May 3rd, during Gallery Hop from 6-8 pm. (more…)
The stock of Columbus hip-hop collective Bottom Brick has been on the rise as of late. Since the release of The Framework EP in late 2006, they have stayed in the spotlight with energetic live shows, side project EPs, and individual members showcasing their talents (like producer Seance’s involvement in a recent production showcase at So What Wednesdays). This weekend sees the release of the group’s first full-length album, The Groundbreaking, a self-released effort.
The Groundbreaking is 16 tracks long, boasting plenty “old-fashioned” boom-bap rap. Which is not to say that the material sounds particularly dated, but just that Bottom Brick will satisfy most fans of classic ’90s hip-hop. The beats (mostly handled by the group’s Seance and Mattinee) are solid backdrops for the MCs, highlighted by the horn-laced banger “Cadillac Rap” and the chilled out vibes of the aptly-titled “Cool Out.” The group’s MCs (Adjust, H.I.M Illaflo, and Seance) do the beats justice most of the time, ably handling varied subject matter and moods. There are a few questionable moments on the mic (the hook on “As It Is” comes to mind), but most of the time, the lyrics and beats mesh well. The album also includes vocal appearances by Columbus all-stars Blueprint (on the aforementioned “Cadillac Rap”), Illogic (whose unhinged verse contributes well to the ethereal “Anthropology”) and Grmm Diabolic. For a group’s first full-length record, it is not surprising that the album’s pace bogs down a bit in the middle, mostly due to a string of songs about life’s struggles. “Cool Out” gets the proceedings back on track, however, and paves the way for a more upbeat ending including the good-natured drinkin’ and partyin’ anthem “More the Merrier,” the lone carryover here from The Framework.
Despite a few missteps, The Groundbreaking shows a group of hip-hop artists getting more familiar with each other and their roles. No matter the mood, there are tracks here that will complement it well.
Bottom Brick will celebrate its album release with a show (including a featured guest appearance by Blueprint) at the High Five on Saturday, May 3rd. Also on the bill is a tag team performance from Illogic & Ill Poetic, sets from Grmm Diabolic and Ol’ Scandalous, and party jams from DJs Detox, Lefto, and Product. It is rare that all of a hip-hop album’s vocal contributors are present for the release party, so the show should be a fine display of what the album is all about.
April 26, 2008 – 3:15 pm | Written by Robert Duffy
Vancougar are releasing a full length album on the prolific Canadian label Mint Records later this summer. But! Before that comes out, you can get your hands on a limited edition (500 copies) clear and green splattered 7″. Featuring the songs “Obvious” and “Distance,” it’s the sort of retro-garage pop that makes even the worst days seem a little better.
You can listen to both of the songs on the ladies’ MySpace page. I definitely regret not seeing them at SXSW this year. Ah well, lessons learned the hard way I guess. Order it here.
Last week I saw three great shows: Caribou with Fuck Buttons and Sinkane at the Wexner Center, Okkervil River and The New Pornographers at the Newport, and John Vanderslice and Spanish Prisoners at Skullys.
Quick recaps….
Sinkane - I liked their set, but I wish they would have played another song to show their diversity… (although I know they had a short timeframe)
Fuck Buttons - If this type of music isn’t your thing, well, then it isn’t your thing. I loved it, though. Sometimes sinister, sometimes reminded me of Underworld, always interesting. I also liked that it was more than two dudes and two laptops.
Caribou - Ahmed from Sinkane just showed Columbus why he is one of the best drummers in town. Holy crap. He played like he had been playing that music for two years, but in reality it’s been less than TWO WEEKS. It was hypnotic to watch him play. So so good. Discuss the show here, too.
The New Pornographers - If you’re a band that does male/female vocal harmonies in a strong way, you’ve won me over. Despite sound not being as good as it could have been, the band pulled through an excellent set, hitting upon their entire catalog. I was also happy to see the show sold out, or at least nearly sold out. That’s the power of CD101 + a great band.
Spanish Prisoners - I thought the set was good, but the energy from Leo’s debut record did not translate well as a two piece. Hope to catch them again with more people.
John Vanderslice - Disappointing turnout, but that didn’t stop Vanderslice and his band from putting on the best set I’ve ever seen by them. They were all in a great mood, and when the band came off the stage for the encore and performed in the middle of the crowd without any microphones or amplification, it was a thing of beauty. Definitely one of the most memorable music experiences I’ve had in a loooooong time.
April 13, 2008 – 10:59 pm | Written by Chip Midnight
Any Cleveland metalheads out there? Back in the ’80s and early ’90s there were a couple of clubs on the West Side (Shadows, The “Real” Flash Gordon’s) where you’d likely hear live metal 7 nights a week- and I’m talking all sorts of different metal, from the poofy-haired spandex variety to blue jeans-and-leather-pants thrash. Something about Dead Child’s debut, Attack (Quarterstick Records), reminds me a lot of those days and those clubs and reading import copies of Kerrang and Aardshock that I’d occasionally find at Chris’s Warped Records or Shattered or My Generation.
Three of the 5 Dead Child members have spent time recording and/or touring as members of indie rock noise legends Slint, an almighty band in their own right but not exactly what one might call “metal”. Hell, if you’ve got an hour to read through the impressive resumes of the players on Attack, you might even call Dead Child a supergroup of sorts though, once again, you probably wouldn’t have guessed a band made up of these members would churn out basement metal that pays homage to the likes of Priest, Maiden, Metallica, and all the other obscure shit that never made it to MTV’s Headbanger’s Ball in 1987.
The most (only?) recognizable name in Dead Child is David Pajo (pictured wearing a vintage Dio t-shirt presumably many years ago) whose guitar playing career has included a full-time gig with Slint as well as temporary positions with Billy Corgan’s post-Smashing Pumpkins project (Zwan), Tortoise, Royal Trux and a few others. He’s also recorded more than a dozen solo albums under various names (Aerial M, Papa M, Pajo).
A comment by Jill Ebenezer in the Donewaiting message board (”You can file them under ‘taking a quarter off of college metal’ along with Sword, Mastodon, Early Man, 3 Inches of Blood, etc. Basically, ‘metal’ you can listen to and your mom won’t get upset aka safe metal) inspired one of the best interviews I think I’ve ever done (made great only by Pajo’s answers).
Before getting to the interview (a must-read if I do say so myself), take note Columbus metal fans: Dead Child will be playing this coming Friday night (April 18) headlining Ruby Tuesday’s (1978 Summit St) with support from Prosanctus Inferi, Sword Heaven, and deadsea.
Message boards are lame, anonymous users with the freedom to say what they want without being held accountable. That being said, you’ve been taken to task by a few posters on the Donewaiting message board essentially as being a “fake” metal musician. And Dead Child has been mentioned in the same breath as bands who supposedly previously wouldn’t claim their “metalness”, if you will, but now are perceived as jumping on the bandwagon. So I ask you, Mr. Pajo, would you care to silence your anonymous, hiding behind a name, “critics”?
This is a bummer but I anticipated this kind of backlash. It’s a risk for us to call ourselves a metal band and it would be just as easy for us to drop it. But we set out to form a metal band so why refer to it as anything else? I’m trying to get away from this elitist bullshit! Besides, aren’t there more fruitful efforts to pursue while we orbit on this tiny pebble than sorting out what’s metal and what’s not? Metal is a broad fucking term – ultimately, it’s just music and attitude.
I understand the sentiment though – poser metal (hair metal) was a real problem in the 80s and I used to hate those guys/bands. But these days it’s not so much of an issue, except for that nu metal shit. Hot Topic metal. I think you’ll see more and more people like me coming in (or back) from other genres that have finally ‘seen the light.’ I think this should be welcomed because it will help expand and fortify the genre. It’ll be interesting to see what develops from these new influences. What I’m trying to say is, I understand that metal is precious to you and you have every right to be suspicious but please judge us on our music. Not our recorded history (which only tells a fraction of the story). If it’s not your cup of tea, we are easily ignored.
I don’t know why people would think we’re jumping on some sort of bandwagon, it’s not like I’m milking the market dry. I’ve had prominent people in the indie rock world, people who I thought were friends, turn their back on me for “committing career suicide.” Quarterstick is pushing the record as hard as they can but we’re all still broke, sleeping on floors, averaging $100 a show, playing to tiny crowds. I’m 40 years old, We got $0 the last two times we played out and they were legitimate shows! I’ve been doing this shit for a long time. Yes, I gave up a successful career in the indie rock world and my old friends don’t talk to me any more. But I can’t deny where my heart is, and I can’t help that it’s 100% in metal. (more…)
April 11, 2008 – 4:50 pm | Written by Stephen Slaybaugh
Given the many guises the songwriting of Mark Eitzel took on after the disbanding of American Music Club in 1995, the band’s 2004 reunion album, Love Songs for Patriots, wasn’t quite the jarring return to form that might have been expected, but more of a subtle dipping back into familiar waters. The band’s new album, The Golden Age (Merge), recalling AMC benchmark California, treads over paths Eitzel first cleared more than a decade ago, only now there’s wisdom where once there was desperation, world-weariness replacing emotional exhaustion. When Eitzel sings “No one is going to save you” on highlight “Decibels and Little Pills,” it may sound like a familiar refrain, but here he comes off resolute instead of at the end of his rope. Elsewhere cuts like “The Dance” may lack such a dramatic lyrical hook, but Eitzel has developed a narrative form that’s just as captivating for its character development and miniature plot lines. Guitarist and only other remaining original AMC member Vudi is the real difference though. In some intangible way, the songs are more firmly rooted for his presence, his intricate playing still the perfect blend of tear-in-a-beer twang and ambient moodiness for Eitzel’s sadsack tales. It would be unfair to say that it’s like no time has passed since the band’s hey day because really it’s specifically time that has produced The Golden Age.
Moviola and the Black Swans will open for American Music Club when they play at Cafe Bourbon Street on Monday, April 14.
The night before the Twiztid Show, DJ Detox, DJ True Skillz, DJ Gaybar played records in a completely opposite enviroment; a Short North Queer Positive Watering hole. Our heroes spun at Sweatin, a monthly dance party, located at the East Village Cafe that owns the Girltalk, Justice, and Blog House so-called “hipster” crowd.
The dejays angle on the evening was disco in the loosest sense of the word.
April 10, 2008 – 12:53 pm | Written by Robert Duffy
The New Pornographers
The weather is getting better in Columbus, people, so that means you should do your best to spend time inside our sweaty rock clubs. Here’s what’s up:
Friday
It’s been some time since The New Pornographers have been in Columbus, and this time out they’re upgrading to the larger Newport Music Hall. Their last album, Challengers, was on my favorite albums of 2007 list, so you can imagine I am pretty excited about this. Opening the show is Okkervil River, a band that could headline on their own.
Saturday
Over the last few years, CD101 Day has not had any major headliners. While earlier versions brought bands like The Black Keys and Dresden Dolls, the more recent versions have been made up of rising bands who have yet to make their mark. And while I’m always a little disappointed that there’s never a bigger name involved, I also think it’s a good thing to have a radio station put together a show with bands of this smaller size and get behind it both on the radio and with an affordable $5 price tag. Saturday’s version at Promowest includes such rising stars as The Whigs, Von Iva, The Duke Spirit as well as locals The Whiles (who have not updated their website since the Reagan administration).
Sunday John Vanderslice (mp3) returns to Columbus for an early show at Skullys. Yesssss. The last time he was here was when we brought him to an early Monday show at High Five. That show was great, so I’m expecting this one to be 30 times better.
Also on Sunday, and also early, Times New Viking are playing Bourbon St for what they’re calling “their last Columbus show in awhile.” Details here.
I am only dealing with things that draw and entertain crowds this week. Actual Columbus Culture. Don’t know why anyone would talk about anything else. Killed In Action week and then some.
Courtesy Jim DeRogatis, here’s the full line-up to Lollapalooza 2008 (so far).
Radiohead
Rage Against the Machine
Nine Inch Nails
Kanye West
Wilco
The Raconteurs
Louis XIV
Love and Rockets
Gnarls Barkley
Bloc Party
The Black Keys
Broken Social Scene
Lupe Fiasco
Flogging Molly
Mark Ronson
Cat Power
The National
G. Love & Special Sauce
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings
Explosions in the Sky
Brand New
Gogol Bordello
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks
Dierks Bentley
Okkervil River
Amadou & Mariam
Blues Traveler
John Butler Trio
Girl Talk
Your Vegas
CSS
Eli “Paperboy” Reed & the True Loves
Battles
Steel Train
Jamie Lidell
Bang Camaro
Butch Walker
The Blakes
Mates of State
Tally Hall
Spank Rock
White Lies
Brazilian Girls
Magic Wands
Chromeo
Electric Touch
Duffy
Innerpartysystem
The Kills
The Postelles
Rogue Wave
The Parlor Mob
The Go! Team
Bald Eagle
Mason Jennings
Krista
The Gutter Twins
Ha Ha Tonka
Yeasayer
Witchcraft
Grizzly Bear
We Go To 11
MGMT
Sofia Talvik
The Weakerthans
Booka Shade
Santogold
Black Kids
Black Lips
Dr. Dog
Nicole Atkins & the Sea
The Ting Tings
Kid Sister
Office
The Cool Kids
What Made Milwaukee Famous
Does It Offend You, Yeah?
The Whigs
Manchester Orchestra
Foals
Uffie
The Octopus Project
Cadence Weapon
Ferras
De Novo Dahl
Noah and the Whale
Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s
K’NAAN
Serena Ryder
Newton Faulkner
April 3, 2008 – 11:35 pm | Written by Robert Duffy
What did the world do to deserve this?
Through her many real and apocryphal connections to “The Sandman” — Amos wrote the introduction to “Death: The High Cost of Living,” references author Neil Gaiman and the Dream King in her music, and is generally thought to be the inspiration for Delirium — Amos is known to comics fans as one of us. She aims to prove it with the help of editor Rantz Hoseley and Image Comics, who will this summer release “Comic Book Tattoo,” a nearly 500-page deluxe-packaged anthology featuring some of comics’ brightest talents including David Mack, Mike Dringenberg, Jonathan Hickman, Carla Speed McNeil, Laurenn McCubbin, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Ivan Brandon, Callum Watt, Neil Kleid, Christopher Mitten, Elzabeth Genco, Chris Arrant, and Daniel Heard — all of whom turn in new work inspired by the music of Tori Amos. (full story)
If I read this 10 years ago I might have been excited, but now, man, I just don’t know.
Any Cleveland metalheads out there? Back in the ’80s and early ’90s there were a couple of clubs on the West Side (Shadows, The “Real” Flash Gordon’s) where you’d likely hear live metal 7 nights a week- and I’m talking all sorts of different metal, from the poofy-haired spandex variety to blue jeans-and-leather-pants thrash. Something about 
