Data That I Consumed This Week

Sorry, but I don't really like writing substantial posts unless I have something insightful to say.

good songs:

wikipedia articles I read:

Philip Larkin

Burj Al Arab


Tim Dog

End-User

movies I watched:


(NEW!) stuff I bought:




random interesting links:

Snoop Dogg GPS

Enjoy.

Data That I Consumed This Week

good songs:

Mariah Carey - Always Be My Baby
Uploaded by djoik.

wikipedia articles I read:

Megan Hauserman

Soft Paternalism

House of Cards

Democratic Republic of the Congo

movies I watched:



random interesting links:

Nike Sneakers Made From Paper

Vanish

Enjoy.

Royce da 5'9 - Street Hop

What a stallion. This review will be in the Winter 2009 issue of Emmie.

ROYCE DA 5’9
Street Hop
[One Records]
7,112

Pathos in hip-hop: it doesn’t happen often. But while listening to Royce da 5’9’s Street Hop, I shed many (figurative) tears of sorrow for the Detroit MC’s uncertain future. For over three years, rumors spread of a fourth studio release from Royce, despite a year-long prison sentence for parole violation and uncertainty regarding longtime collaborator DJ Premier’s involvement in the album’s production. The first pangs of dismay came when it was confirmed that Premier would only executively produce Street Hop, limiting his involvement to beat selection as opposed to composition. Nonetheless, Royce was poised to impress with his lyrical virtuosity, having done so over the summer in a collaborative release with Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz, and Crooked I entitled Slaughterhouse. Upon release, it’s clear that Street Hop is paralyzed by a lack of artistic unity, preventing the album from becoming anything beyond an underground hit reminiscent of a mixtape.

Notwithstanding, many of the songs on Street Hop are gems. “Count For Nothing” is a bloodthirsty monster of a track where Royce invites the listener to “name whoever you want/ Wayne…’Ye…Jay” because he’s “just playin’ wit 'em.” His razor-edged flow is a finely tuned mix of internal rhyme, punchline, and meter that devastates the horn sample-based beat used by producer Nottz to build a frenzied pace. Royce delivers a heavy lyrical blow when he claims that “it ain’t an arm when it’s tucked in my box/ this is Lindsay Lohan, niggas call me firecrotch.” The subsequent series of internal rhymes are unrelenting in their ferocity: “I’m seein' clear like a MyBot/ I drop my coupe, black shoes, black Noob Saibot/ I spit fire like Izod, why not.” This peppering of similes, all tied in rhyme, are a fury of lyrical stabs that leave the listener stunned. Even though it falters collectively, expect this type of splendid delivery throughout many parts of Street Hop. Royce da 5’9 can doubtlessly murder any number of tracks; now he must focus on linking these to create a polished product.

Prof. Downey's Challenge

So my LIS 201 professor asked us to go a week without using social networking websites (Twitter/Facebook/YouTube being the trifecta). I genuinely considered doing this for a good ten minutes before I tweeted about how I wasn't going to do it. I'll try to consider this objectively: If I stopped using these social networking tools, I'd most likely be upset for a few days that I couldn't use them as an escape from everyday reality. After all, that's why I enjoy Twitter and Facebook so much. It gives an individual the freedom to explore new data about the world around them, but at a heightened pace and with less control. The lack of control on the Internet is thrilling; there are days when I learn about something I had no idea existed the day before. The real world can't do that for me; more often than not I have to seek out new information if I want it. Why would I deny myself that pleasure? I am a firm believer in the fact that the Internet can only improve me as a person, because I know to wield it responsibly. Not sure everyone can say that, though.

And now, for your viewing pleasure. You'll recognize the sample used in "Poker Face" by Lady GaGa.

Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...Pt. II

Here is a review I wrote of the new Raekwon album for Emmie. It will be in the Fall issue.

RAEKWON
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. II
[Ice H2O Records]
7,987

As hip-hop manages to survive in spite of a stagnant record industry, “true fans” often complain about derivative musical content rife with hyperbole. It seems to be a growing trend where a questionable number of major-label rappers also just happen to be the heads of their own personal drug cartels. On Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…Pt. II, Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon continues the crack-rap tradition without fail, but does so with precise execution. Each song’s careful construction and contribution to the cohesion of the album prove that while Rae hasn’t changed much in terms of style since the first Cuban Linx, the Brooklyn MC has noticeably honed his craft in the last fourteen years.

Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…Pt. II is rich in detail. Production credits vary from the late great J Dilla to Wu-Tang beat exemplar RZA, and even includes a contribution from gangster maestro Dr. Dre. This assortment creates a sonic patchwork that is hemmed by Raekwon’s fluid and effortless flow. The 24-track strong album fields a veritable army of lyricists that predictably includes the greater part of the Wu-Gambinos (the mafioso aliases of the Wu-Tang Clan) and is further bolstered by heavy-hitters such as Busta Rhymes, Jadakiss, and Styles P.

The assortment of beats and rhymes on Cuban Linx II seems occasionally crowded, but for the most part Rae steadfastly saunters through the album, forging a solid base off which other MCs create a lyrical counterpoint. On the fervent “House of Flying Daggers,” he coolly boasts “my resume is straight-up live, I shank niggas for larger E’s/ and speak with the youth in the spot, eat the fresh fruit in the crop”. Raekwon’s delivery is forceful, but not ferocious. It lends credence to his Wu-Gambino namesake of “The Chef,” which Ghostface Killah references during his verse on the same track: “Rae job is to make sure the coke is fluffy/ While I politic his birthday bash with Puffy.” All of the MCs on Cuban Linx II understand that they are only part of a greater whole, Raekwon included. It appears that teamwork is the secret ingredient in the recipe for a classic hip-hop album.

Everything about this song and video should be illegal.

"The old man's still an artist with a Thompson."

Today I watched Miller's Crossing, a 1990 crime film directed by the Coen brothers. It's dense. There are many supporting characters with complex tangential links that the viewer is expected to infer with little explanation. To add to this, the plot is intricate and rarely presents all details to the viewer clearly. All of this complexity demands careful attention while watching, but it's quite rewarding.

As with most Coen brothers films, the dialogue is spot-on; it's accurate given the historical period but also polished. The cinematography could distract some, as it is different from what is characteristically considered film noir, but overall it helps to establish rhythm throughout the entire work. The noir elements that are present in Miller's Crossing include the cynical dialogue and most of the character archetypes that are typical of this style: a prize fighter, organized crime bosses and enforcers, corrupt politicians and police officers, etc. What separates it from most other films in this style, however, is the depth of the characters. Tom Reagan (Gabriel Byrne) is dark and brooding in a way that makes one anxious to know what he is thinking at all times. John Turturo and Jon Polito's characters act as foils to Byrne's reserved, wily resolve, which results in great chemistry onscreen.

One thing that really stood out to me was how often Reagan got beat up. This guy gets the shit kicked out of him at least once every 15-20 minutes throughout this entire movie, by almost everyone else in the cast. Except for that and a few other scenes, the film's action is sparse but in a way that suits the tempo of the film. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to watch a crime film and is not afraid to be mentally engaged.

This trailer is pretty bad, but try and look past that.

Sampling - An Art Form

What constitutes good sampling in modern music?

The aesthetic strength of sampling lies in the ability to re-contextualize a sound in a way that challenges the listener’s perception. This could be as simple as using a popular film quote as backing for an instrumental interlude, or as complex as taking a drum or melodic sequence from a song in one genre of music and altering its pitch and tempo to make it viable for another. An artist who samples keenly will be able to imagine this finished product despite having only heard the sound in its original form. Furthermore, the combination of several samples with effects added (a popular technique) adds another layer of intricacy. Finally, when an artist is creating a song using samples, they must work diligently to maintain the idea of what they originally had in mind, so that the end product is whole and representative of the artist’s intention.

Here is an example of pretty good sampling.

and here I was, saving up for production equipment when I had some in my kitchen all along.

Don't ask me how I'm livin, because I'm livin swell

It ain't hard to tell like my main man Nas

Check out the Winnipeg Jets jersey the guy in the video is wearing. Of course, a little research led me to find this:

mmm mm. Tasty.

:-)

Oldie But A Goodie

It's gotta be the shoes.

hello again

It's time to resurrect this blog, if only to keep track of stuff that I like for myself. Expect more later today...

Oops

I think most everyone who read this knows already, but I'm writing for my friend Greg F.'s blog now:

Everything All Of The Time

Making Raw Underground Shit

Like many of the loose tracks that are in my iTunes library, I have no idea how I obtained the song "L.A." by MURS. Sometime earlier this year, I heard it on shuffle for the first time and distinctly remember being impressed by how simple yet unique it was. The 9th Wonder-produced beat samples the roots reggae track "Atlas" by The Mighty Diamonds to create a crisp, uncluttered sound that is a welcome change from the clichéd sampling/breakbeat routine that most hip-hop producers are too quick to resort to. MURS has a great flow: He is clear, down-to-earth, and humble in his descriptions of the Southland. Listen/watch:

When I listen to this song, Los Angeles doesn't actually sound all that bad...wow. I sometimes imagine this guy kickin' it in his hood, making the world a better place one compost at a time. And that's a nice thought, so that's why I like this track.

Saludos, Hovito.

At Kanye West's Glow In The Dark Tour show at Madison Square Garden last Wednesday, Jay-Z came onstage, and spit some new tracks: this little number right here, and a song called "Ain't I". These are potential tracks for The Blueprint 3. There isn't much to go on besides rumors, but Timbaland is slated to produce the majority of the album (EDIT: Several sources have brought to my attention that this is no longer the case; No ID and Kanye West will do some too). There are also talks of a collaborative record between the two; if you have talked to me in the last two weeks I have mentioned this and quoted Timbo as saying that it would be "like ten Big Pimpin's". Let me remind you how incredible this song is:

Seriously, holy shit. This is the apex of party rap, rivaled by few and equaled by none. Imagine an entire album of it. You'd run out of Cristal to pour on the legions of video vixens who follow you around everywhere. So let's cross our fingers and hope that it happens. Blueprint 3 could potentially come out as early as this December, which means the other album can't be too far behind...

Lollapalooza, In Summation

FRIDAY.



Yeasayer: So much better than I remember on the album. I don't know the name of this song, but wow. The percussion hurt so good: thick and raw bass with racing snares added for a very intricate effect. The distortion provided a soft bed of sound to carry the whole thing along, and the gentle guitar riffs with the middle-eastern tinge were drizzled on top like icing on a pastry. A DELICIOUS TREAT FOR ALL AGES!



Million $ Mano: Homeboy knows how to rock the house. This means playing Justice and Daft Punk duh. I don't know if Hollywood Holt can actually rap, but he sure can...hypeman, if that's a verb. It's a little silly, though, that when you normalize the beat in Abelton Live so it's all at the same tempo and add bass everything suddenly becomes a "MILLION DOLLAR MANO REMIX!!!!". That was a little annoying. I am glad he brought out Drea for some He Say She Say joints, because those are always satisfying. Most importantly, I got my groove on.


SATURDAY.



Spank Rock: Naeem Juwan is a nymphomaniac, or at least that's what his lyrics would suggest. I was a little surprised/disappointed when he didn't have sex onstage with Amanda Blank's backup dancer. Regardless, the crowd was excited. He performed a lot of Bangers & Cash stuff, which was really entertaining to watch. Hats off to him.

DJ Momjeans: Yes, Danny Masterson from That 70's Show is a DJ now. It was bland electro, which I guess is acceptable. But it left no lasting impact.



Wilco: This was an incredibly soothing concert. It's obvious that this band has mastered their catalog and can perform it effortlessly and beautifully. I wish I was more familiar with their work, I probably would have enjoyed this concert even more.


SUNDAY.


This is actually a picture of the flosstradamus set, but whatever I liked it better




Kid Sister: I want to say this was great, but the truth is that it was a little disappointing. I guess that she's only used to doing shows in clubs and whatnot, so being on one of the main stages was probably a big change. She was getting really tired and was visibly straining to deliver all of her lines accurately. Also, she performed a lot of new material, apparently for the first time. It showed: at one point she started the second verse to a song early even though the chorus wasn't over yet. The backup dancers were terrifying/amusing. Her brother Josh (J2K of Flosstradamus) helped to hold the whole thing together by doing the hype stuff while Autobot did the actual DJing. It was ok overall, but the crowd just wasn't feeling it. At a smaller venue, this would have been much better.

Brazilian Girls: No.



Amadou & Mariam: This blind couple from Mali make incredibly catchy afropop. This is what true world music should sound like because it is crafted from a vast array of sources. Very enjoyable.



Flogging Molly: Ah, it's good to be Irish.

Kanye West: I left early, so I can't really give a comprehensive review of this. Kanye made good and bad descisions during this concert. Good: Doing his verse to "Put On" without auto-tune. Bad: Giving a tribute speech to his mother in auto-tune. Unsure: Performing "Get 'Em High" with a really deep satan voice enabled? I don't know.

All photos courtesy of my cousin carlos or everyoneisfamous.com

Darkness falls across the land; the midnite hour is close at hand. Creatures crawl in search of blood, to terrorize y'all's neighborhood...and whosoever shall be found, without the soul for getting down, must stand and face the hounds of hell and rot inside a corpse's shell. The foulest stench is in the air. The funk of 40,000 years, and grizzly ghouls from every tomb, are closing in to seal your doom. And though you fight to stay alive, your body starts to shiver. For no mere mortal can resist the evil of the Thriller.

you can't embed this video, it's impossible.

lollaplaooza highlights soon.

Flosstradamus, Kid Sister (MC), Black Kids, Foals, The Kills 7/31

all photos courtesy of my cousin carlos.

So I found out about this show the day of, and I went in an attempt to entertain my cousin with something interesting and free. It was at the Apple Store on Michigan Avenue. There was a line? I found out later some people had been there since 11 am...weird. The Floss DJed and did not fail to deliver as usual. My favorite part was a mashup of "Around The World" and "American Boy". Kid Sister was probably getting paid obscene amounts of money to say 25 words introducing the bands and hang out with her brother. She was still hella cute though.

The Black Kids are not good. They haven't really mastered their instruments, and as a result their inexperience shows. The sister of the frontman plays several drumpads so I don't know how one could master that in the first place. Their drummer is talented but lacks control. I had never listened to anything by them besides the remix of "I'm Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend To Dance With You" by The Twelves (it's incredible, by the way). I haven't been missing anything.

Foals were a lot better than I remember them being when I listened to their album. Their abrupt changes in rhythm and tempo make for sporadic and catchy math rock. Jack Bevan is an animal on the drums. I'll be re-obtaining their album. I got tired and left before The Kills. The end.