Michael's Influence

Almost called this post "Michael Jackson still alive" though quickly realized it'd be viewed as a cheap stunt to grab hits. But with performers (and performances) like this, the spirit of Michael Jackson is well entrenched for the foreseeable future. Music will never be the same.

Video a bit choppy, but sound is so pure (plus she's rocking that hat straight MJ style.)

I know, I know. I'm way too cool to like Christina Aguilera, right? Sheeeeeeit... ever since I saw her crush this song on SNL a few years back I've never looked at her the same. Always knew she had pipes, but this goes so far beyond vocals. For me, one of the hottest tracks to drop in the last decade, seriously. I would think about seeing her live based on this performance alone.

And while I thought about embedding a string of videos and linking to other obvious MJ influenced artists... nah. This is it. What really inspired this post was listening to what for me, is an obscure live version of the song "Things I Do For You." I started saying, "Damn, that sounds just like this other song... what is it? Hmmmn. Oh snap!" It's cool, because I've had the Aguilera SNL performance saved on my tivo forever and now I find it's a nod to MJ in more ways than I knew.

Here's the live MJ cut. So Maxwell - so Jamiroquai - so D'angelo's Soulquarians. If you listened to the whole Aguilera track you'll pick up the cues taken from this MJ cut. Did you know Mike got down like this?

Live in Japan, 1987.

Where ya been?

While I love the concept of this blog and have unlimited ideas that I'd like to see come to life, let's face it, I'm not finding time to actively post thoughtful, insightful, worthwhile updates. But you know what time does allow for? Twitter, where I need not be thoughtful nor insightful. Worthwhile? Most definitely.

My latest twitter update will run across the top of this page. When I have a chance to post videos and such or to really say something, this is still the place. But to see what's up in soundbetterland a little more frequently, you gotta follow me.

Think twitter is stupid? Wake up. It's information exchange, done efficient and effective. And there's stuff you won't find anywhere else. Get with it.

One week ago this evening ...

No time to cut my own videos and pics, but got some nice stuff from the pit area along with Dane shooting only a few rows up in the seats. (Video above not shot by me, btw.) Here's a sampling of some stills:

New Danger Mouse

Tired of looking at Wax yet? Me too. Bigger update on the way with new music to talk about, but for now, check out Danger Mouse's newest project which label EMI has decided to shelve. Perhaps that's because you won't find the next crazy Gnarls Barkley hit or hear anything you'd expect from DM (except superb, lush production, per usual.)

The release, titled Dark Night of the Soul, features original Danger Mouse compositions with several guest vocalists and Sparklehorse collaborating on production. On a message board someone described it as bluesy Beatles/Pink Floyd. Not a terrible frame of reference, if not entirely accurate. This isn't vintage 60's/70's though the influence can be heard. And it's definitely not blues. In truth, I haven't really digested it yet on first listen. Can't say I have a strong opinion other than it's relevant. It's worth hearing, to be sure. David Lynch ties in as well, producing a series of photographs inspired by the music and appearing on 2 of the tracks, the title track included which also closes the album.

The ongoing battle with EMI to release the record has led Danger Mouse to seek out other avenues to get the music heard. The "cd" is currently being sold with a David Lynch companion picture-book (at a steep $50), however the cd is actually a blank cdr (for customers to use with the files they "steal" from the internet). Haha. Seriously. Check out the official site for details. The complete album is available streaming right now on NPR Music's website. You can expect it to show up on every popular file-sharing site as well.

Tracklisting below, with guest vocalist listed in parenthesis.

Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse

Dark Night Of The Soul

01. Revenge (Flaming Lips)

02. Just War (Gruff Rhys of The Super Furry Animals)

03. Jaykub (Jason Lytle)

04. Little Girl (Julian Casablancas of The Strokes)

05. Angel's Harp (Frank Black of The Pixies)

06. Pain (Iggy Pop)

07. Star Eyes (I Can't Catch It) (David Lynch)

08. Everytime I'm With You (Jason Lytle)

09. Insane Lullaby (James Mercer of The Shins)

10. Daddy's Gone (Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse and Nina Persson of The Cardigans)

11. The Man Who Played God (Suzanne Vega)

12. Grim Augury (Vic Chesnutt)

13. Dark Night Of The Soul (David Lynch)

You know, I wasn't planning on adding this but it's another example of a modern day, moderately successful artist dealing with record label nonsense - and in this case asking to be dropped outright, publicly, in concert. I love this.

This is Wax

About 2 minutes into watching this video for the first time I knew I'd post it here. Been meaning to post about Wax for sometime anyway and then he drops this new youtube video that might be my favorite thing I've ever seen or heard from him. Unfortunately, right in the middle of head nodding to this almost flawless flow, Wax hits a bridge of "I shit in your girls' mouth and she likes it, yea, yea, she likes it, she likes it."

This is Wax. Supremely talented, inspiring dedication and grind, well deserving of the still elusive success and payday. Yet as an artist Wax is a paradox, often dumbing down his rhymes for humor, sometimes effectively, sometimes not. He's writing some of the most intelligent verses I've ever heard in Hip-Hop. His delivery is legit and often he's rocking over his own beats. Wax's talent is undeniable: multi-instrumentalist, thoughtful lyricist, charismatic performer and a healthy ego. And yes, he is funny. But the fact is, no matter how many youtube hits you get, how many blogs like mine sing your praises, at the end of the day, the majority of people really don't want to nod their head to lines about shitting in someone's mouth.

I get it. It's part of your style. You have no filter. It's what makes you you. But damn, we got references to the stock market, underpaid teachers, foreclosure crisis, self-reflection on the struggle to make it in the industry and Burlington Coat Factory! (Go head PG.) Real rhymes, real stories. But this will all be overlooked by many on first listen because the entire verse can be written off as vulgar bullshit by those not paying close enough attention. It's too easy to label Wax as "punchline guy" (as one friend of mine described his take on Wax to me). But beyond the one-liners and "shock" rhymes there's a much deeper artistry to Wax, though Wax himself is to blame for burying this truth.


Take Wax's own words from a rhyme in the video An Evening at Home:

"I know that rhyme was dumb. I apologize, I rhyme for fun. Please sue me. I don't do this for fame and wealth. I just rap to entertain myself."

If only that were true. Wax is as serious as they come. No matter how often he tells you in his rhymes he doesn't give a shit, dig a little deeper into his words and the truth is there. A line from the video embedded below:

"And besides I'm a bitter old man that stays faded talking shit on other people because I never made it. Always dreamed I would make a living as a musician. But that still hasn't come to fruition."

Yes, the real shit is in there.


Watch this video and a few of my personal favorites linked below and you'll easily respect Wax's talent and hustle. He puts his soul on public display. I have so much love for artists who take this leap. His youtube videos routinely get tens of thousands of hits each and collectively he's topped 1 million views. But it's an ugly industry and so far no one has figured out how to sell Wax. It's not an easy answer.

He's an artist with whom you must accept the bad with the good. For me, this is easy to do, if only because I believe the good is truly brilliant. But it is frustrating nonetheless, as the good and bad don't really mix well, intelligent wordplay and lyricism with a dose of unabashed vulgarity. Some listeners will undoubtedly lose respect at the first blatantly offensive line. There are plenty to choose from. But this is Wax.

Wax epitomizes the independent artist and what unfiltered art-making should be. He is completely honest and hasn't forgotten that music should be fun. He acknowledges that the dumb shit is part of what he does (listen for this reference in the go-go video) and it seems like he's making himself laugh more than anyone else. For a struggling artist, managing to make honest art while also enjoying yourself might just be the key to longevity. Unfortunately, I'm not sure the raw, unfiltered elements can follow Wax to the level his talent begs for... but let's hope I'm either wrong or Wax starts focusing on speaking to a larger audience, not just reaching them.


3/5/2009: Wax Spits Randomly - 21,314 views


11/3/2007: Wax Spits Verse For Vibe Contest - 198,141 views (Serious hustle.)

12/27/2007: One Bar Loops - 82,027 views (Serious creativity.)
1/4/2008: New Crack - 352,971 views (Not a typo... a ton of hits.)
2/25/2008: An Evening at Home - 60,458 views (Full range of skills.)

11/20/2008: Wax Goes Hard On Go Go Beat - 36,199 views (Had to post for the go-go love.)
1/9/2009: 2009 MC Showcase - 40,067 views (Is he serious? Your answer.)
2/3/2009: Low Budget - 45,722 views (Silly, but still plain silly.)

There's something ridiculously fresh in each one - definitely "catch a new line with each repeated listen" material. And while the question of how to sell Wax may remain unanswered, the answer to supporting him isn't difficult.



Purchase his latest official cd, Wax and EOM: Liquid Courage

Purchase the official cd with lifelong collaborator, twin brother Herbal T,
Wax and Herbal T: Grizzly Season

Contact your Congressman and tell them about Wax.

Check out the live Wax and EOM cd release show from this past January at the 8x10 in Baltimore. Show features Wax solo, with EOM, and backed by full live band The Grilled Lincolns plus a horn section. (Wax solo: dude has this whole alter-ego, acoustic guitar playing, singer-songwriter thing going on too. Check it. It could just as easily be that vibe that makes him a star, though Hip-Hop is where he shines brightest.)

Stay current with all things Wax and Herbal T on YOUTUBE and MYSPACE.



Lastly, I've only briefly mentioned his twin brother who goes by the name Herbal T. It's a package deal with these cats which only works because Herbal T has serious skills as well. Here's the latest video from the Wax and Herbal T crew, featuring Herbal T doing his thing.

4/7/2009: Herbal T Plays Bass and Raps - 4,881 views



Respect.

Breath of Life

Woke up this morning and started my day with this song. It motivated me to come in and edit a post I started back in January but never got around to sharing. This is special.


It's not often enough that an artist comes along that gets me really excited. I'm always listening to new stuff, digging new artists, old artists I've yet to hear... but to get excited about? Not all that often.

The fact is there's so much music out and it's all so easily-accessible these days that it's impossible to come even close to hearing it all. To steal a thought from Bob Lefsetz, yes the record labels are crumbling, but in the future we'll still need filters to find the best music, (a la music blogs/websites/independent radio, etc.) And so unless I see a band live or learn about them from a personal recommendation, chances are I might not ever hear them. That is unless the hype gets so big that I reach a point where I say "Ok. What's the deal with this person?"

And so it was with the magnificently talented Esperanza Spalding. What a name, first of all... one you tend to remember. The name kept popping up on various music buzz sites to the point that eventually I felt compelled to check her out. The tipping point came when I read that she was a jazz artist and a bass player at that. I'd seen a picture of her and like everyone, I didn't expect her to be an upright bass player. Intrigued, I bought the album off iTunes after being drawn in with a few 30 sec samples, hoping it could approach the growing hype in my mind.

And then there was this song. The thing as a music lover you're always searching for, despite not knowing exactly what it is or what it sounds like. Still searching, nevertheless, and when you find it... goosebumps. This song captures what I love about music and in particular, new music and new artists. It strikes that nerve that sets good apart from sublime. [Note: I never use the word sublime, in speech or writing. But it's the first word that came to me when writing that sentence. Here's part of the googled definition "b: of outstanding spiritual, intellectual, or moral worth, c: tending to inspire awe usually because of elevated quality (as of beauty, nobility, or grandeur) or transcendent excellence." Yup, that says it beautifully, better than I even intended.]

I had assumed this song must have been the single from the record and that I was just completely late to the scene. Not so, as I couldn't find much hype on it individually and I didn't see a live version in the mass sea of Esperanza videos out there. Even so, there is certainly plenty of great youtube videos to check out, including this fantastic mini-documentary discussing how she made it and what drives her as an artist. It's 12 minutes, packed with live footage and says more about Esperanza as an artist than I possibly can in this post. It's well worth viewing if you can spare the time.

As for the "hit single" (if you can even call it that since this is Jazz we're talking about), here's a knock-out performance of "I Know You Know" from Jimmy Kimmel, June 11, 2008.







Finally, came across this excellent, detailed post about ES that while providing much of her background and some wonderful photos, also provided me with the title of this post. Breath of Life - a conversation about black music.


At a time when some of the most talented, young, singer/songwriters have lost their muse (D'angelo and Fiona Apple come to mind), to discover Esperanza Spalding and to think (and hope) that she might well be making music for the next 50 years... it's got me excited. So if you hadn't already heard, now you have no excuse.


www.esperanzaspalding.com

www.myspace.com/esperanzaspalding

Buy the CD "Esperanza" from Amazon.com

NIN and Jane's Addiciton (together again)

I've never seen either band perform live, though own all of JA's albums and all of NIN's up to The Perfect Drug era (Halos 1-11 or something, then I gave up.) The With Teeth album started to bring me back a few years ago and lately, in part due to Trent's well-focused angst against corporate music control, I've been meaning to seek out NIN's new material. This song, while not all that new now, was the one that got me seriously re-interested a few years back.

Now comes word that the original Jane's Addiction lineup will be touring with NIN, doing small clubs over the next year. I will go. Not because I want to relive the past, which is why I skipped the Pixies and Violent Femmes recent reunion tours (somewhat regrettably) - but because I think these are important artists who have, in some ways, reached the pinnacle of success, but now find themselves focused on the music and the passion. It sounds like its not about selling out the biggest venues they can and selling $35 t-shirts to adoring fans. (That could still happen, I'd imagine.) But it sounds like they might just want to create some new magic. Maybe that's all bullshit. Maybe just wishful thinking. I'll be there to find out.

Trent's words from NIN.com

Eric's (Jane's bass player) words from JanesAddiction.com

Hip-hop needs a new classic

Someone sent me this video tonight and I got hyped to post and talk about the album that dropped just this past Tuesday. Then I started listening to the other songs on the myspace page. Now I'll let someone else tell you how tight it is. Here's why.


Kanye West: Kanye is terrible. I remember first being introduced to Kanye (not in person) as an artist who would "bridge the gap" between the backpackers and the mainstream. How about an artist focused on selling as many records as possible by being grossly over-marketed regardless of quality of work. Call me a hater. Kanye, please go away.


M.I.A: See above but replace the word "Kanye" with "M.I.A." and "backpackers" with the phrase "impoverished 3rd world." That should do it.


There's just not enough time in the day to waste any of it on bleh. It might be "hot"... but it doesn't sound good. "Yo, that joint is hot!" Uhh, right, it is, but it also sounds like shit. "Kanye and M.I.A. are hot, son!" Agreed. And they both sound terrible when they open their mouths. But sound is secondary to sight (thus my eyes wide shut.)

And while those are the most mainstream, watered-down artists contributing to this record, I wasn't moved by appearances from Tom Waits, Chuck D, ODB (resurrected), or much else. I tend to think most people will feel this. It's fresh. It's cutting. It's genre-spanning, label-busting, cross-generational music for the masses. Agreed. But does it sound good?


Honestly, I wouldn't have taken the time to talk and post if I didn't think this was worth checking out. And I'm feeling this song, no doubt. But damn... was thinking we had something classic for a minute. Hip-hop needs a new classic.


You know what... jumped over to Amazon to check out more tracks. It's pretty tight. Fatlip and KRS-One on a track, Del and DJ Qbert on a nice track... I think I just needed to get that Kanye/MIA bashing off my chest.

I do feel better.

Don't Buy Daptone's Gear on eBay...

... that is if you see any of it show up there or any other loosely regulated trading post. Daptone's studio was robbed Monday night. Check out the early list of what's missing from co-founder Gabriel Roth below. (Info from Brooklyn Vegan by way of email from friend.)

FROM GABRIEL ROTH

Friends and associates,

As you may have heard through the grapevine by now, Daptone was broken into last night. Unfortunately, there was a lot of equipment (mics, pre-amps, monitors, turntables, guitars, amps, computers, etc.) stolen and damaged. It is going to take us a while to go through everything and take full stock of what was stolen, and we are not supposed to touch anything until the cops come back to collect fingerprints so we can only guess what's missing from some mic drawers and cabinets.
And, no, we did not have insurance. We had been shopping around with different companies earlier this month but had not signed a check, so nothing was insured. We are working on replacing the gate in front, installing an alarm system, and getting insurance, but it is President's day so it's not going as quickly as we would have liked.
Nydia's computer was stolen (which wasn't backed up) and the modems/ phone system was ripped out, so we'll be relatively out of commission for a few days.

I would like to ask for everyone's help first in keeping an eye out for all of our stuff showing up on ebay/craigslist/local music shops, and secondly (and more realistically) keeping an eye out for good deals on headphones, mics, pre-amps, etc. I could really use a heads up on any kind of studio package for sale or studio equipment to be possibly bought or borrowed as soon as possible. We have a session scheduled for Friday to lay down some music for (I know this sounds
surreal) Rod Stewart, and I'm going to have to get the studio running by then. I know I'm going to need to find headphones, cables, mics, and pre-amps by then. I'm not sure what else yet.

Upon first glance we are definitely missing:
Fender Super Guitar Amp in case
Fender Deluxe Guitar Amp
A whole bunch of headphones and wires
Nydia's HP laptop computer
One Desktop MacIntosh Computer
One Purple Audio API style lunchbox with four Purple Audio Biz mic pre-amps
2 Yamaha NS10 monitors
Vintage Harmony Rocket Guitar
One steel string acoustic guitar
Martin Tenor sax in a gig bag
Technics 1200 turntable
Ion USB turntable
Teac Receiver/stereo amp
Sony dual deck CD burner/player
All of our modem/phone system stuff was ripped out and taken.
A whole bunch of condensor and dynamic microphones (I still need to figure out exactly what's missing) The power supply for my Trident console was tossed and the board was moved (probably not gently) so the status of that is still questionable.
A baldwin organ was tossed and is probably broken.
Lacie External hard drive

Over the next few days, as we sort out the rubble, we are going to figure out what else we lost.

We are putting in a roll down front gate, alarm system, and finally getting our insurance happening this week. We are also going to hire a security guard to watch the house for tonight as the cops and alarm guy seemed pretty confident that they will be back with a truck now that they've seen what's in here.

Thanks for keeping eyes open for us. AND PLEASE PASS THIS MESSAGE ALONG TO ANYONE YOU THINK MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP US.

Thankfully, we all still have our health, ambition, tape machines, and sense of humor in tact. You can slow us down, but you can't stop us. Sleep well knowing we here at Daptone will continue to...

Keep putting Soul up,

Gabriel Roth

P.S. On a lighter note, it seems like the burglars did drop a few items in order to lift Alex's old safe out of here, which was VERY heavy, VERY unwieldy, and also VERY EMPTY!

Give Thanks

I've been feeling Raashan Ahmad for about a year now, having been waaay late to the Crown City Rockers and Mission records that deserve all the underground love they've received over the years.

That said, it wasn't until I watched this new video that I was compelled to post something here. This man should be a star, with his name on par with the likes of Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Q-Tip, Common, Black Thought, etc. That's not to compare stylistically, because that's just too easy, too obvious and far too limiting. But my point is that most certainly recognize the names listed above and associate a certain level of respect and quality with their work. Many have never even heard the name Raashan Ahmad and yet his work is consistently impressive and inspiring. Things ain't like they used to be - otherwise this video would be in heavy rotation on MTV and I'd already be sick of hearing it on the radio (which would be a good thing.)

I give thanks for Raashan Ahmad... performing LIVE in Baltimore, MD at the 8x10, February 20. Don't sleep!

Update 2/17: Raashan Ahmand will NOT be performing live in Baltimore, Feb 20... but 3 other great bands will! So yeah, don't sleep... still.