Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury 11.30.11-12.6.11

I came across this album years after its 2006 release. Originally, it didn’t even occur to me to give it a chance (“Who’s Clipse?”) until I browsed through some “Best Albums of the Year/Decade” lists in a search for new music. This album was consistently near the top, and after a few weeks of not being able to put it down, I can see why.

Clipse is the duo of Pusha T and Malice, two brothers from Virginia who apparently sold a lot of cocaine before hitting the studio. I’m not talking like pseudo thugs who went to art school (e.g. like Mobb Deep). The authenticity of the lyrics adds to the overall chilling vibe of the record. Pusha and Malice’s straightforward flows are surprisingly captivating and a lot of the word play is downright clever. A choice lyric: “I make All-of-her Twist like Dickens.” The track “Keys Open Doors” is all about how selling “keys” of cocaine opens “doors” to upward social mobility. Neat.

However, the real standout performance on the album goes to The Neptunes, producers extraordinaire. Pharrell’s handiwork provides a perfectly eerie backdrop for Clipse’s rhymes. Unlike so much other rap/hip-hop out there today, it isn’t overproduced; while there’s a lot going on in each track, the beats retain a sparse sound. In this way, the style shares some similarities to early 90’s hip-hop, but with much more variety. The individual parts on Pharrell’s compositions are all weird and very intriguing. To see what I mean by this, check out the chimes on “Ride Around Shining” or the high-pitched steel-drum on “Ain’t Cha.”

Overall, the combination of the dark production and the boastful lyrical content exudes cockiness and brashness that makes this hip-hop album fun to listen to. And it’s so good that I feel like an irreverent badass even when I’m listening to it on my i-pod while wearing business casual attire and walking down Newbury Street.

Hell Hath No Fury is a lean record with no filler, which is refreshing for this genre. No dumb intro and interlude “skits” of gunfights and answering machine messages that stretch the album length to 20+ tracks; no spotlight-stealing features of big name stars. Just a really solid hip-hop record that should go down as a classic.

Apple Juice Kid - Louis Armstrong Remixed 11.23.11 - 11.29.11

This album is an excellent choice for anyone who loves to re-imagine a classic. It can be dangerous territory remixing the greats, and Apple Juice Kid makes a bold choice attempting this with Louis Armstrong, inarguably one of the most influential American musicians of all time. However, he does it with class, refusing a cheap hijacking of someone else’s genius and instead creates a seamless tribute to jazz and a genuine effort to keep it relevant.

Apple Juice Kid never takes too much credit and Armstrong’s gritty voice shines through the mellow electronic layering. You’ll never forget who the real star of the show is, and you’ll appreciate AJK all the more for realizing it. A great album for fans who want to re-experience a favorite, it can also provide a beautiful translation to those whose ears haven’t been opened to the cadence of jazz and still need the right middleman to tune them in. It’s the perfect background music for long conversation.

Florence + The Machine - Ceremonials 11.16.11 - 11.23.11

I am taking a risk with posting this album.  I think it might be a bit too girl-angsty for your taste, but as this is my first post, and I feel like (or am at least guessing) that  you are an ecclectic, willing-to-try-anything-once bunch, here we go...

I really like Florence + The Machine.  As a lover of Alanis, Tori Amos, Fiona Apple, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, in a time of Lady Gaga, Kesha, and Beyonce (who are great, given the right time and place), I thought this type of music was dead.  Florence + The Machine have pieced together an album that is both morbid and uplifting.  Better yet, its not a debut album (which, for many artists contains the greatest songs they can come up with, which is followed by a shit second album, for the purposes of staying relevant, but I digress...).  I like it.

"No Light, No Light"-  In my opinion, the best song on the album because the hook is so friggin' catchy and it appeals to my love of dramatic, over-the-top lyrics.

"Seven Devils"- This song lands smack dab in the middle of the album and breaks things up nicely because it gives us something to think about.  For whatever reason, I link this song directly with "Leave My Body", a ghostly gospel ballad.

"Remain Nameless"-  Well-placed and unique.

"Only If for a Night"-  Great opener- pretty much the gist of the album.

"Lover to Lover"- Poppy, upbeat, dare I say fun?

The rest of the album is comprised of shades of the songs mentioned above.  I am curious to see what everyone else thinks.  Thanks for reading!  Love you forever.

-EZ

Wiz Khalifa - Rolling Papers 11.2.11 - 11.9.11

I'm going to do something that hurts me, something that on a primal level makes me feel unsophisticated, stupid, thoughtless and sophomoric and above all uncomfortable. Here I go.

Some pop music today actually sounds good to me. Ya. And I think it's gotten better. And I listen to it sometimes. I listen to it a lot these days actually because it makes me feel good; it makes me feel like a star. It balloons my ego. Like all the girls in the club are staring at me, like I'm just reeling on the edge of awesome, like I'm more important than I actually am. It reminds me of my younger brother and the way that he parties: like everything and everyone is stupendous.

And you know what? I don't care. I don't care if I know that's an artificial feeling sold in the guise of a song. Because I think today, if you can identify something that you like for whatever reason, you should cling to it. Teen years are for being reckless, reckless about the internal anguish you can feel over the way people think about you. Most of the continuing process of getting older is anesthetizing discomfort by identifying resources that you truly like and then utilizing those resources to improve your daily life. Whether they be gourmet lollipops, the "Lion King" game for Super Nintendo or Wiz Khalifa, using those resources is a way to make life better.

So, ya. I like Wiz Khalifa's "Rolling Papers". Because it sounds good to me and it's catchy and makes me feel like the shit and I'm a person and I can do whatever I want. All we can do is hoard the things to like.

The Kills - Midnight Boom 10.26.11 - 11.3.11

I kicked around a few different possibilities debating what album to upload this week. There were the newer 2011 candidates that are still bouncing around my mind ( Fleet Foxes' Helplesness Blues, DJ Shadow's The Less You Know The Better and St. Vincent's Strange Mercy). There were also some classics (Zappa's Roxy & Elsewhere), and important albums for my personal musical maturation and exploration (The Secret Machines' Now Here Is Nowhere).*  However, the simplicity and badassedness of the Kills are what ultimately influenced me.

 Sitting on my couch sipping Almond Milk and listening to The Kills seems oxymoronic.  My almond milk (it is actually chocolate almond milk) is an exotic creature comfort, an opulent gift to myself. It is a product I don't understand (where are the nipples on almonds?), marketed at an age and income bracket above myself, sold by a company that decided to distinguish their products by baptizing themselves "Silk".

The Kills I understand. A singer and a guitarist laying down hard and rhythmic lines and riffs. The lyrics don't need to be understood or considered to enjoy the song.**  It is the wailing guitar. The heaviness of the beat. The quick recognition that the name of the band is a dead-on description of the music. Hand-clapping, foot-stomping rhythms accompany almost every song. The songs are made to energize us. To occupy our bodies and minds. Influence our actions and propel us through the tedium of waiting for the bus or grocery shopping. The Kills are our youthful vigor. Our desire to run through the streets. To dance. To scream and sing at the same time. I am very sorry that I missed them when they rolled through PDX a few months ago. I bet it was a kick ass show. Because that is how I feel when I listen to this album. I bob my head and feel ready to do some parkour or kick ass and just have a good time.  So on the next nice Autumn day grab a flannel, a friend, some whiskey, and head out to the park to enjoy the weather, your youth, and some fun, badass music

-Brooks



* I highly (very highly, actually) recommend all these albums, and may end up finally deciding to post them someday...
**Black Balloon and Goodnight Bad Morning notwithstanding. And I do feel that no matter the artist all lyrics have meaning. Even purposely nonsensical ones.

The War on Drugs - Slave Ambient 10/19 - 10/25

I don’t listen to lyrics much. I hear them, of course, I hum along with them, sing them loudly and mostly inaccurately. But the content of the lyrics – what is actually being said – rarely registers. Listening to this album was no exception.

Paying little mind to the words being sung, I still heard in this music the distinct sounds of restlessness, regret, and relief; I saw flickering neon lights, crumbling urban landscapes, and rusted railroads leading no where; I felt aimless and stranded yet carefree and cocksure alike. I sensed the definite presence of Dylan, Springsteen, The Grateful Dead, The Killers, and Deerhunter. I wanted to go with the album on a long, windows-down joy ride through the American Southwest, but I didn’t have a car. I considered instead hopping a freight train headed anywhere, but I didn’t have the guts. Hitching a riverboat downstream would’ve worked as well, but it was raining so I just stayed home.

I decided the sound should definitely be labeled “Ambient, blissed out, reverberating Americana folk rock,” mostly because that sounded cool. I noted that the album works best as just that, an album: The tracks – which, it seems relevant to note, alternate between buoyant, sun-burnt, sharply-hooked psych pop; mellow, meandering singer-songwriter fare; and droning, hypnotic instrumental interludes – melt into one another from both ends, occasionally bursting into flames.

Then I realized I had just burnt through every adjective I could muster to describe the sound. So, never having written about music before but being familiar enough with the form, I knew I had now to turn towards the lyrics.

So I played the album again, this time with pen and pad in hand, and tried to hear – no, listen to – the words. I found, perhaps not surprisingly, that their mood and imagery echoed exactly that which I’d gleaned from the instruments alone. And I mean the words literally echoed; lead singer and band creator Adam Granduciel’s voice seems at all times to be escaping from a wet cave, the syllables chasing after each other like trails of light across your retina.

In this distant, hazy way, you variously hear him sing: “I’ve been ramblin’,” “I’ve been movin’,” and “I’ve been strugglin’,” and those aren’t even lines from the same song. You hear countless references to geography and transportation:He’s been “down by the sea” and “up in the highlands”; crossed roads, taken trains, cruised on freeways, and spent time around harbors. He’s passed the “fog of city debris,” and felt “strong winds blowing through my mind.” He feels “a thousand miles behind with a million more to climb,” and wonders where all his friends are going, “and why they didn’t take me.”

These are no doubt the words of a restless man – geographically, psychologically, socially. Yet not a discontented man. In “Come to the City,” one of the catchiest tracks, Granduciel tells us for the umpteenth time, “I’ve been rambling, I’ve been driftin’.” This time, the angst is followed by a cathartic, carefree “Woohoooo!” at the top of his lungs, and as the “oooooo”s fade away like a yell from a passing train, you realize he doesn't seem all too worried about being lost and uprooted. Maybe, even, he relishes in it.

But you don’t need him to tell you so to know it. Just listen to the sounds.

...tj

I Can Only Give You Everything: Unholy Rhythms 10/12-10/19

"unholy rhythms" is a groovy compilation of various retro french bands covering US oldies. My favorite is the french cover of "baby love"

I was introduced to the album by my friend Schuyler about a month ago when I was visiting her in Seoul. A week later, I was in Oxford visiting a lover, and this album was the soundtrack to our romantic getaway weekend of bicycles, nice breads, punting, sheets, and champagne. It was our last weekend together. I flew back to Dhaka Sunday morning (where i work) and she stayed in Oxford to finish her PhD. I hid a love note before I left. Hopefully she will save it and read it from time to time when she is upset with her future marriage. She will think back to our weekend. I remember that weekend every time I hear this album.

This album is not only for the jet-setting romantic whose career choice won't permit long term relationships. Its also perfect for late nights with the closest of friends, picnics, beaches, first dates, impressing that special someone, or Hipster scenes, etc.

Sweetest dreams,

Ravid

Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost 10/5-10/11

The album that is new to us all, while we’ve heard it all before...
To start out I will say this is one of best albums I have heard in some time. I realize making a statement such as this is just asking for backlash, (I know I probably would give some… but I have also been called argumentative.) but I hope after I explain my opinion we will all be in agreement and the ACTW community will be able to say this as well… Because how awesome would it be for all of us to have just listened to an album and be able to say something like “MAN! That was awesome!”… Unlikely I know. But a guy can dream cant he?

So back to “The album that is new to us all, while we’ve heard it all before…” Simple enough idea… and personally if I read that I would most likely assume the album is unoriginal and/or played out stylistically. Whether it’s a band that has ripped off another’s sound or released an album identical to one of their previous releases, most of us have experienced the dissatisfaction resulting. (I know I have.) However when it comes to “Father, Son, Holy Ghost” a unique situation arises. Now it is no secret that Girls have a sound similar to many one might hear on their local “oldies” station, and (trust me) this album is no different. I would say not only is the sound similar to many great bands of the past, but many of the songs are so similar they feel as if you have already heard them.

When I listen, I hear many of my favorite bands from past generations. I hear sounds of the Beatles, Elvis, Pink Floyd, Elliot Smith, Brian Wilson, and many more which I couldn’t nail down. Wait… What is this, an oldies compilation fall 2011? … Anything but.. Yes when you listen to “Father, Son, Holy Ghost” you may hear a few if not many bands from the past you’re familiar with. However the unique beauty of the album and its success in my opinion is Girls ability to incorporate all of these iconic sounds while never losing their identity. Each and every song is truly their own.

The sound is rich. The style diverse. The writing of Christopher Owens stimulates without fail.

Hope you all enjoy it.
AJ

Trolle//Siebenhaar - Couple Therapy 9/27-10/3

There’s the kind of relaxing music you play on low to help you focus on work, and then there’s the kind that makes you lean away from the computer, roll your chair back and forth, and smile a little at the thought of being somewhere far away. It’s necessary sometimes, and hard to come by.

Trolle//Siebenhaar is a Danish duo from Copenhagen consisting of Ane Trolle and Pato Siebenhaar. Trolle’s soft, playful vocals are enough to soothe your stress and sexy enough to keep you distracted while Siebenhaar layers reggae beats under sweet harmonies for a dreamy, upbeat quality. Some notable tracks to check out: Amelita, Sunday Song, Sweet Dog, and These Streets.

This whole album is one for a Sunday. Take a joyride or drag out an evening cooking dinner and washing dishes over a glass of wine. The work will still be there once you’ve finished and you’ll be in a better mindset to handle it anyway.

Note: I included an additional track in the playlist. It is not by Trolle//Siebenhaar but has a similar feel so you get a bonus.

Beruit - The Rip Tide - 9/19-9/26  

The number of images and memories this band name can evoke is literally infinite. From the sun-soaked peninsula of the Mediterranean Sea and sister city to Los Angeles, Baghdad, Tripoli, Rio de Janeiro, Moscow, Mexico City, Istanbul, Marseille, Cairo, Athens (...and it goes on, but basically, a city that rolls with only the most happening places on this floating marble we call Earth), to dank and grimy beer-soaked basements alive with yells and the tip-toe of ping-pong balls, that sometimes delicately land in foam to extra yelling. I now present another cerebral linkage in the form of a sextet hailing from Santa Fe, USA.

Beirut is world-American pop music and The Rip Tide is a glorious collection of brass, drum and voice, woven together in ear-to-ear smiling harmony. Tracks dance with different subjects, but include a story of a childhood city, Santa Fe, to a more abstract track in East Harlem, which abandons all logic and begs you to understand that "sound is a color [you] know." 

Crank up your speakers, wherever you are and especially if you're playing 'rut, and listen to what Zach Condon and his gang have to say. You won't be able to stop.

-pM

Dungen - Ta Det Lugnt - 9.14.11-9.21.11

I think we’ve all had the pleasure of mouthing the lyrics to a song in another language even if don’t understand the words one bit. From the second we were shuffled into a preschool or nursery school, we were fed Frere Jaques for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, polyglot or not. Well, this my friends, is your upgrade. Offering a variety of styles (I’d call some of them influences, cough, to be discussed?, cough), and rhythms, if you listen to this cd enough, there is guaranteed to be a song where you pretend to know at least a little Swedish.

Dungen is a four piece outfit based out of Stockholm, Sweden, but the soul really comes from the lead singer, song writer, and talented musician, Gustav Ejstes. Ta Det Lugnt, released in 2004, is their 4th album and most beloved. The cd provides some more gripping tracks than others including the gems I have previously pointed out: “Panda” and my favorite “Det Du Tanker Idag Ar Du Imorn” (I do not attempt to impress my Swedish friends with the pronunciation of that one); however, every track forces a look at what could superficially be perceived as a “one-trick-pony.” As a live experience, the band enjoys prolonging songs to infinity; some people call this jamming, I call it running on a treadmill. Their energy is indubitably there, and even a heartless snot like me can get immersed in the quality of the performance, maybe I’m just not in shape to keep running with everyone else.

Ta Det Lugnt carries me to my high school years where I was just wishing I existed in another, cooler era that I thought Dungen was taking me to. Hope you can sink in as easily as I did. Enjoy.

Love Mamolou

Concert Counsel

The SuperSonic Suggestions

The La's - The La's 8.16.11-8.23.11

More often then not, the concept of perfection is viewed as a positive thing. Although it might be born out of a negative comment, the ultimate view on perfectionists is neuroticism, but enviable diligence. Media is littered with perfectionist heroes: James Cameron, James Joyce, Michelango, etc.

Little do we hear about perfectionism actually crushing an artist's career; the assumption is that perfectionists will never get frustrated enough to commit artistic suicide. The La's are just such an example.

Lead singer and guitarist Lee Mavers was known as somewhat of an oddball and perfectionist even before the inception of The La's. After shuffling producers, band members and songs for over 2 years, the production studio Go! Discs forced the band to release their album as is. Despite the overall critical and public success of the album, Mavers claimed the album was "rushed" and retreated to his home in Liverpool to live outside the spotlight. Rarely, on nights where the moon is ripe in the night sky, Mavers has been spotted playing deep in the underground Brit scene under random pseudonyms or with obscure bands.

The resulting self-titled album is an undoubtedly 90s sound, a fresh and lasting take on the British invasion. The album wades in that puddle of attempted perfection, trying so hard to reach it. The album shines, but was it worth it in the end?

Perfection is a speeding car stuck on cruise with a 7 year-old boy behind the wheel. Needless to say, it's dangerous.

Arthur Verocai - S/T 8.9.11 - 8.16.11

There is a particular word in Portuguese, famously untranslatable into English, used to describe a particularly Lusophone feeling of loss, joy and elegance.

Saudade.

Some have described it simply (and inadequately) as “sadness” or “nostalgia”… More sophisticated thinkers have noted that it is closer to “happy-to-be-sadness,” and the brand of nostalgia it describes is as much for the present moment as for the lost past.

One thing for sure is that it is a feeling that permeates the vast majority of Brazilian popular music, and the 1972 self-titled LP from composer, arranger and producer Arthur Verocai is awash in it. Elements of jazz, soul, psychedelic rock, funk and Música Popular Brasiliera intertwine amidst waves of exquisite yearning. It’s the kind of feeling of sadness that makes you glad to be alive with a heart capable of feeling.

UCI

ACTW: A Representative Playlist for Young Professionals in the Sunlight of their Lives

Chorders,

I would like to thank everyone that contributed to ACTW's first ever conglomerate playlist. It is an outstanding collection exhibiting both the prowess and cunning appreciation that all of our members possess. For anonymity's sake, the mgmt has elected to NOT reveal the names behind the choices in order to protect the innocent and be unnecessarily mysterious.

In honor of this momentous elation, the playlist will suffice as the album of the week for the next two weeks. This will allow all members to dig deeper into each selection. Remember: there's always room for more members, so recruit some friends why don't you.

Now feed your ears; they look hungry.

Thanks again,


Micah

Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique 7.5.11 - 7.12.11

After much discussion about different genres and a general desire for more hip-hop, I think the stars aligned to be able to follow up "The Cold Vein" with "Paul's Boutique". Perhaps Japanese baseball stars, Fruit Stripe Gum, and the unanswerable question of how many mangoes exist in Jamaica are not diametrically opposed to the stark and bewitching verse of Cannibal Ox, but the carousing, pop culture-laced, irreverent humor of the Beasties is pretty damn close.

Fresh off the astonishing and unforeseen success of "Lisenced to Ill", The Beastie Boys moved to California, underscoring a growing gap with Def Jam, the label that had released "LtI". A public feud ensued, the Beasties moved to Capitol, determined to release a second album that showed that they weren't just white boys pumping bass, but intelligent, thoughtful men who happened to love hip-hop.

Although Capitol initially considered the album a huge flop, 10 years later it had gone double platinum thanks to an original and eclectic use of samples, unique lyrics and lyrical structures, and an unbelievably deep well of references, ideas, and beliefs that continue to reveal themselves listen after listen. It is consistently ranked as one of the best albums, regardless of genre, by those who create such lists.

Although Ad Rock appropriately begins the first true track with "Well I rock the house party at the drop of a hat", the album touches on important topics such as police corruption, objectification, and music history in addition to supplying beats and rhymes that can rival, if not surpass, any other rap or hip-hop then and now.

Cannibal Ox - The Cold Vein 6.29.11-7.6.11

2001 on the Definitive Jux label.

Vast Aire and Vordul Mega unleash a tapestry of words over the part-post-apocalyptic, part-goth, part-concrete Gotham gargoyles perched over the frozen tundra of the ghetto production of El-P.

The album is sincere. The delivery style is more prose than poetry than prose, a winding narrative filled with wordplay, purposeful repetition, and stutter steps that refine what it means to be an urban poet.

Not a single song thrives on references and pop culture citations. Vast Aire even manages to rap a love song that avoids getting trapped in the clutches of post-modern irony.

And in the midst of all of the alien noises and bleakness, there is hope, transcendence through music, and some thoughtful advice.

If ever there was a hip-hop ALBUM with an arc, this is it.

Charles Mingus - Mingus Ah Um 6.21.11 - 6.28.11

I first discovered Charles Mingus' "Mingus Ah Um" five years ago when I decided I wanted to learn more about Jazz. After asking my friend--a formally trained base guitarist--he recommended this album. Here is a review of the album.....

Mingus' debut for Columbia, "Mingus Ah Um" is a stunning summation of the bassist's talents and probably the best reference point for beginners. The band includes longtime Mingus stalwarts already well versed in his music, like saxophonists John Handy, Shafi Hadi, and Booker Ervin; trombonists Jimmy Knepper and Willie Dennis; pianist Horace Parlan; and drummer Dannie Richmond. Their razor-sharp performances tie together what may well be Mingus' greatest, most emotionally varied set of compositions. At least three became instant classics, starting with the irrepressible spiritual exuberance of signature tune "Better Get It in Your Soul," taken in a hard-charging 6/8 and punctuated by joyous gospel shouts. "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" is a slow, graceful elegy for Lester Young, who died not long before the sessions. The sharply contrasting "Fables of Faubus" is a savage mockery of segregationist Arkansas governor Orval Faubus, portrayed musically as a bumbling vaudeville clown (the scathing lyrics, censored by skittish executives, can be heard on Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus. The underrated "Boogie Stop Shuffle" is bursting with aggressive swing, and elsewhere there are tributes to Mingus' three most revered influences: "Open Letter to Duke" is a suite of three tunes; "Bird Calls" is inspired by Charlie Parker; and "Jelly Roll" is an idiosyncratic yet affectionate nod to jazz's first great composer, Jelly Roll Morton. It simply isn't possible to single out one Mingus album as definitive, but Mingus Ah Um comes the closest.

Freelance Whales - Weathervanes 6/13-6/20

Strawberries and Bananas,

Just went to this concert at the TLA a few weeks ago (a friend's friend's band). Great show, got to chill with them afterwards. They are definitely an up and coming I would say, as I am seeing them more and more on different advertising campaigns. Very cool music to listen to while working or hanging out; sorry guys, no baby making this time around!

I don't have too much to say. Just enjoy them, please!

Comments much appreciated (:

Serge Gainsbourg - Histoire de Melody Nelson 6.7.11-6.14.11

The first time I heard a song from this album, I knew nothing about its release, the artist, or even the lyrics. Perhaps this name sounds familiar because of his daughter, Charlotte Gainsbourg (who recently released an album with Beck), or perhaps you are awesomely up on French pop culture and you are aware of Serge Gainsbourg's acclaim, but I was neither of these on first listen. I initially felt disconnected from the music because the lyrics are almost entirely in French and the music can be very vocally driven, which left me frustrated with my high school level French comprehension. However, I find the orchestration of each song timelessly appealing and completely communicative on its own. The style is hard to categorize, but it's somewhere in the jazz, funk, soul section maybe? If you are up for a challenge, listen to the cd straight through and see if you can grasp the concept. Oh and, don't read any further because I explain the gist below.

To quote wikipedia, "The Lolita-esque pseudo-autobiographical plot involves the middle-aged Gainsbourg unintentionally colliding his Rolls Royce Silver Ghost into teenage nymphet Melody Nelson's bicycle, and the subsequent seduction and romance that ensues." Released in 1971, a completely eccentric artist to precede many more.

Not your cd to play on shuffle. Let me know thoughts. Anyone keen to this cat already?

Stephen Marley - Mind Control 6.1.11-6.7.11

After seeing Stephen Marley perform at a Reggae festival in 2007, I went out and bought this album. Tracks 1, 2, 4, and 8 are my favorites, but the entire album is impressive (I didn't upload the talking interludes). Each track is unique from the next. I mean, lets be honest with our-music snob-selves, most reggae sounds pretty similar, but this album adds new melodies and instruments to traditional reggae. It has been in constant rotation in my CD player for years.

A little background on Stephen: He is the fourth son of Bob Marley (who's Wikipedia page I highly recommend checking out again). Until he came out this album, he spent most of his career producing and collaborating on the albums being released by his other brothers, Ziggy, the oldest Marley brother, and Damien, the youngest and most hip/hop. I read that Stephen greatly contributed to Damien's "Welcome to Jamrock" album--another seriously good album that you should check out if you dig this.

Last week, Stephen released his second album, Revelation Part 1: The Root of Life. I've liked what Ive heard so far, so I included the first single in the Dropbox folder. Its called "No Cigarette Smoking in My Room".

So light it up and take a puff and enjoy the Mind Control....

Burning Spear - Marcus Garvey 5.24.11-5.31.11

From Reality I Just Can't Drift: Exploring Reggae

This is the first of what will hopefully be many wanderings into the fog of assorted music genres.

In search of some of the most influential and highly regarded reggae albums of all time, Burning Spears' "Marcus Garvey" made appearances on nearly every top ten list. Burning Spear has been nominated for 12 Best Reggae Album of the Year Grammys, including 2 wins. Even though this album didn't win the award, it is regarded as Burning Spear's most influential album.

The album is named after famed Jamaican journalist and philosopher Marcus Garvey, founder of Garveyism. "The fundamental focus of Garveyism is the complete, total and never ending redemption of the continent of Africa by people of African ancestry, at home and abroad. It is rooted in one basic idea: 'whatsoever things common to man that man has done, man can do'. Therefore, Africa can become as glorious and profoundly advanced in the scientific and technological realm as any, when Africans will it to be." Sick.

The Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt 5.16-5.22

I'd like to start by saying thank you to everyone that has uploaded stuff and to hopefully everyone is enjoying expanding their musical spectrum. This week I introduce a man from Sweden, Kristian Matsson with a band name of The Tallest Man on Earth. This album, The Wild Hunt, is his second album and in my limited experience with Bob Dylan, his voice immediately reminds me of him. There is some banjo and piano and a voice that is fairly astounding. For some reason, I find that the Swedish accent of English is fantastic. That's all I'm going to say about this.

Please, enjoy.

tUne-yArDs - WHOKILL 5.3.11 - 5.9.11

Before delving into WHOKILL, i apologize for uploading the album onto our main page, and not into the folder. hopefully some magical internet gnome fixes that.

anyway

tUne-yArDs!

Its power, rocks me, inside, like a lullaby. Roughly quoted from "Powa", I believe this line conveys what an intoxicating and invigorating listen this album is. The rhythms, tone, and energy supplied by these tracks have made it a daily listen for me since I got the album. The passion and depth of her voice creates a wonderfully full and lush sound. Although the instrumentation is somewhat simple, the mix of percussion, horns, and her voice create more than enough for a listener to latch on. It was almost a shock to find out that this was a white woman from New England (thanks Wikipedia), and not a group traversing the world spreading some type of afro-infused jazz pop (sidenote: for the Portland show she had her face painted and had brightly colored feathers in her hair. I think you can get a pretty good grasp on her influences through all this). Although some might think that is a derisive statement, it is really a testament to the thought, soul and energy put into every song; its difficult to not be singing and humming along, or at least tapping your foot along with the beat.

Equally amazing is who tune-yards( i'm done with that random capitalization) is. They are two people (who by the assessment of my roommate, "are probably dating"): a bass player and a lead singer who plays the ukelele while creating tracks on a loop machine. Together they also do their own percussion with drumsticks and cleaned out vegetable cans (at least in the performance I saw). They sometimes add horn players and additional percussionists (thank you youtube), but the result is always the same: a tight, bouncy, and refreshing. I hope everyone can enjoy this album as much as I am. Enjoy! U-S-A!

Parov Stelar - Coco 4.26.11 - 3.5.11

Sometimes it's easy to dismiss an entire album after only listening a track or two. That usually happens to me. I have a short attention span, you see. Anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I leave most books half read and most video games half played because they have not been able to satisfy my stringent psuedo-ADHD needs. This annoying habit, when applied to my selection of music, has led to dismiss me some hidden gems. Fear not, however, after months of iTunes on shuffle I finally realised how bloody amazing this album was.

This week, I bring you Parov Stelar of Linz, Austria, widely known as the creator of the genre of music known as "Electroswing", and his album Coco. This über-cool mix of modern house beats and early 20th century American swing-jazz will hopefully awaken your tired self and induce a bout of frenzied dancing. Perhaps you may even look as brilliant as this guy.

Notable tracks: The Mojo Radio Gang (Radio Version), Libella Swing, Catgroove

Sheldon

Dirty Projectors- Bitte Orca 4.19.11 - 4.25.11

Where to even begin. Definitely meant to get this in yesterday so everyone could have something nice to melt their minds to, but, here we are now, and here is something, well, a little different. Dirty Projectors have a style that, I think, is quite unlike anything else. The tracks on this album will fill your soundscape with aural colors unimaginable, they will take you, wide-eyed (eared) and filled with wonder, in so many new and different directions.. and yet somehow, at the end, all the things that had once diverged will come back together. Interesting rhythms from all angles, vocal feats that would impress even the King himself, and then, what! look! a wild melody appears! I think some of you might know this album already, but I really hope you all enjoy listening to Dirty Projectors' 8th release: Bitte Orca. It's fun!


Sarah

James Brown - Live at the Apollo 4.11.11 - 4.17.11

Yo soul children,

You down for something new? We're gonna kick it smooth and creamy old school with a completely new change of pace. Recorded in 1963 at the launchpad of many a soul and R&B career at the infamous Apollo Theater in NYC, "Live at the Apollo" is widely renowned as one of the best if not the best live albums of all time. Energy and excitement ooze out the speakers during this groin-grabbingly translucent performance by one of the best live performers in music history.

He's been called The Hardest Working Man in Show Business, The Chocolate Badger (I just made that one up) and Soul Brother Number One-- give it up for The Godfather of Soul, Mr. James Brown.


micah

Rockin' The Suburbs, 4.4.11 - 4.11.11.

After a surprising Grammy win, The Suburbs gained some of the popular attention it always deserved. Much the same way Paul identified The National's lyrics as highly applicable, Arcade Fire's epic, beautiful third chapter spins a yarn about suburbia that ditches the romanticized white-picket-fences and replaces fantasy with reality. The result is a really fantastic album; an American story from a Canadian band. I'll save the rest of my limitless love for the comments and let everyone render their judgments.

Wake Up! 3/28/11 - 4/4/11

Brothers and Sisters, this week I wanted to introduce you to this standard of musical intuition. The Roots and John Legend recently got together to put some 12, and some change, tracks together that deliver a little something for everyone.

It comes with all the excellent music and lyrical triumphs that can be expected from any Roots album, as well as the smooth black voice that is John Legend.

Whether you're looking for some rhymes, some blues, or just a little bit of music to knock boots to .. well here it is. Enjoy this immensely, please.

Workin' the Angles, 3.21.11 - 3.28.11

After an intentionally premature leak last week, we're going to test out the fourth studio album by American rockers, The Strokes. That sounds dirtier than I intended, but hey this is a dirty crew; guitarist Nick Valensi recently claimed to only wash his hair ten times a year!! That's less than you, Micah! Let's check out Angles to see if this is IT.

Nature of Maps -- 3.14.11-3.21.11

Dearest all,

This week, a new member of the gang, AJ Stolt, brought forth unto us an album known as "Nature of Maps" by Matt Pond PA. Let's see how it sounds.

National Jamthem? - 3.7.11-3.14.11

This week, we dive into an acclaimed album from 2010 to see if it has the right stuff to please this group of wannabe music critics. The fifth album from the close-knit band from Brooklyn by way of Cincinnati, is High Violet as kinetic as its album art may indicate? Listen for yourself, and cast your vote. Are you over 18? There will be an old lady checking your registration at the door. Her name is Paul.

One small peak at music, one giant leap of fun

Ahoy (music) pirates!

Ready to sail through some wicked (sometimes in a good way, probably sometimes in a bad way) sound waves? Grab a set of cans or plop your ears next to some larger magnetically vibrating boxes and vow to listen to the following albums until it hertz. That is the vow put forth in the A Chord. I am honored to walk the plank and pick the first album, Illumination by Miami Horror. I came across this little pearl while cleaning the kitchen of a nine armed octopus who got angry after he spilled hot tea on himself and flailed around in spectral frequency breaking dishes and getting crumpets all up in my hair. Worth the mess, however. What Miami Horror brings to the table is some of the innocent goodness of 90s electronic sound that makes you want to skip down the sidewalk with a boombox on your shoulder while simultaneously enjoying a fresh frozen treat from the ice cream truck. But don't dismiss this as a thank-goodness school's out afternoon special, there is a shroud of mystique that keeps you dancing, egging you on to discover what crazy Thom-Yorke motion your body is going to involuntarily decide correlates with the beat.

I quite enjoy this album and hope you all will too. If not, I've already fed the giant crocodile the clock and you've got one week to decide if you think this album deserves to be confined to echo in the chamber of Tick-Tock's belly.

please, enjoy. your beat is nice. i like your bass.

-paul "the flamingo lover"