Ahmed Gallab aka Sinkane is currently drumming with Yeasayer. They played Coachella and this happened:
So did this:
Baby I’m a boss, I don’t know what they do
I don’t get dropped, I drop the label
World can’t hold me, too much ambition
Always knew it be like this when I was in the kitchen
That’s Columbus ex-pat Ahmed Gallab (aka Sinkane) on percussion. Sinkane’s overlooked self-titled ’09 record showed up on my 2009 Favorites list.
(Separate Columbus list further down. Though, if the lists were combined, some of the local releases would unseat a few here…)
1. Larry Jon Wilson – Larry Jon Wilson
I won’t lie. Talking to Larry Jon and producer Jerry DeCicca (Black Swans) about this album, learning about its origins, and visiting Wilson’s back catalog gave me a heightened appreciation for this masterpiece. So context helps, but even if you know nothing about the back story, this is a stark, beautiful album from start to finish from one of the forgotten country outlaws. Wilson’s Georgia baritone is the sweetest thing I heard this year. For Townes Van Zandt fans, this is required listening.
MP3: Feel Alright Again
2. The Love Language – The Love Language
It’s a rock n’ roll cliché and a PR flack’s dream: Guy breaks up with girl, drinks heavily, pisses off all his friends, eventually sobers up and retreats to his parents’ house to record an album on a four-track. But man does this cliché jangle with some of the best in-the-red pop songs I’ve heard in a while. Stuart McLamb’s Chapel Hill band signed to Merge in October and is slated to have a new release in August, and after seeing the full band (now a 7-piece) put on a terrific show at the Wexner Center in the fall, McLamb’s next outing could be even better with a little help from his friends.
3. Andrew Bird – Noble Beast
Every aspect of Andrew Bird just keeps getting better—his voice; his gorgeous, multi-layered violin arrangements; his whistling. It makes for a backdrop so compelling that he can sing about proto-Sanskrit Minoans, porto-centric Lisboans, Greek Cypriots and Hobis-hots and have you nodding your head in agreement instead of scratching it in confusion.
MP3: Oh No
4. Kurt Vile – Constant Hitmaker; God is Saying This to You…; Childish Prodigy
I’m grouping these together so I can squeeze more in, but all three LPs probably deserve a separate spot for different reasons. God finds Vile filtering his psychedelia through John Fahey and Neil Young; Childish kicks the volume up a notch and tones the lo-fi down; and Hitmaker, the best of the three, plays both sides with casual brilliance. “Freeway” is one of my favorite songs of 2009.
MP3: Freeway
5. The Antlers – Hospice
Hospice is one of only a few albums this year that completely transports me whenever I give it my full attention. (Brian Harnetty’s Silent City is another.) A concept album about a hospice worker and a young patient, the songs swell like Sigur Ros then retreat into gingerly tapped piano, lightly strummed guitar or shimmery synth. It’s in those quiet portions that Silberman employs his alabaster falsetto — more hushed than Jeff Buckley but less wispy than Antony Hegarty. Back in March, the Antlers played a show at Cafe Bourbon St. in front of me and maybe three other people. I’m thinking there’ll be a few more in attendance next time.
MP3: Bear
#6 onward + Columbus list after the jump. Continue reading
Posted in 2009 Favorites, Columbus, MP3
Tagged andrew bird, animal collective, Atlas Sound, Bill Callahan, Bird and Flower, Brian Harnetty, David Bazan, Dirty Projectors, fun., Justin Townes Earle, Kurt Vile, Larry Jon Wilson, Monolithic Cloud Parade, RTFO Bandwagon, Sinkane, The Antlers, The Love Language, The Mountain Goats, The Receiver, the sun, this is my suitcase, Times New Viking, Volcano Choir, Wing & Tusk, Yo La Tengo
MP3: Ambling Alp
Ahmed Gallab (not pictured) of Sinkane has been drumming for Yeasayer for a few months now and will be well into 2010. He appears on this first song from the new record (download it above).
MP3: Little Garcon by Born Ruffians
Ahmed Gallab from Sinkane is secretly taking over indie rock drumming. First he rescued the Caribou tour. Then he joined up with Of Montreal for a few months. Next up is an extended run drumming for Born Ruffians, which includes opening the Franz Ferdinand tour (Columbus date included!)
Ahmed is not just an awesome-drummer-for-hire. He’s readying a new Sinkane release, scheduled for May 2009. Dudes, I have heard it and it is amazing. It takes all the original ideas and concepts from the last Sinkane record and expands upon them at an incredible level. You’re gonna love it.
Keep reading for all the Born Ruffian/Franz Ferdinand dates: Continue reading
We’ve written a lot about our dear friend Ahmed and his band Sinkane. He’s now playing drums for Of Montreal and some photos have popped up from what looks like an insane live show. Seriously I feel like I need to travel to check this out.
Here’s some photos, courtesy of Matt @ You Ain’t No Picasso. You can click here to see a bunch more.
Ahmed, just be careful of that horse!
Comments Off on Ahmed (Sinkane) in Of Montreal – The Photographic Evidence
Posted in Columbus
Tagged Of Montreal, Sinkane
This is what Doug wrote about Deathly Fighter:
Of all the bands on the current Columbus landscape, Deathly Fighter are the most difficult to pin down. Their first show sounded like an SPK groove on repeat. It was a fairly well-received set considering the number of ideas brought forth (1). Their next show was more distorted and antagonistic, clearing the room at Bourbon St. in about ten minutes. Their recordings explore an assortment of black and white sounds from early Hardcore to Industrial, classic Dub to Dubstep to House, without ever fully committing to a single genre. And then there’s the Deathly Fighter aesthetic, which may be more clearly defined than the music itself, with themes of sadomasochism, violence, cassette culture and DIY appearing in their graphic design and general presence. (continued)
Mike Carney, the public face of the band, has released several demos via our message board. I wanted to highlight this one, “Spanish Fly”, which also features Ahmed from Sinkane on drums.
The band has a full length album coming out next year, but it is not to be discussed in public until the time is right.
MP3: Spanish Fly by Deathly Fighter
Ahmed has had a crazy year. His band, Sinkane released their debut album. And then he joined Caribou as the drummer to rescue that tour. Details here.
Now he’s about to join Of Montreal as their drummer. Dude is on a roll.
From Ahmed:
im in columbus for one more week and then i leave to athens, georgia where i will be meeting up with of Montreal. i will be playing drums for them. we’re doing a photoshoot and then ill be going to phoenix for a month to visit my parents before i have to meet up with of Montreal again for rehearsal starting august. tour starts in october and im pretty much going to be with the band for a year or so. i dont know what the specifics are other than their next record ‘skeletal lamping’ will be released this fall.
Comments Off on Ahmed from Sinkane, rescued Caribou, now joining Of Montreal touring band
Posted in Music
Tagged Of Montreal, Sinkane
Lots of activity going on for our pals Sinkane. First off, Pitchfork posted an MP3 of the band’s new album, out early next month. Ahmed posted a tour diary of his experience as the Caribou drummer. Finally, on the Wexner Center blog you can download an mp3 of Sinkane’s show earlier this month.
Caribou photo by Kim Rottmayer. Full gallery.
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.
Comments Off on Last Week: John Vanderslice for the Win
Tagged Caribou, John Vanderslice, Sinkane, The New Pornographers
