Food For Animals

Food For Animals is definitely worth a check. It sounds like Blackalicious on crystal meth, or Tech 9 getting violently electrocuted. Whichever way you want to paint it, the beats feel like trudging through a neon swamp of molasses, carrying a burlap sack full pieces of jagged glass and metal (definitely protruding through). It's coarse, but definitely rich.

And for some reason, ever since The Wire started, Maryland has this reputation of being hardass. I still haven't seen it, which is my own damn fault. (These guys are from Maryland, that's why I mention it.)

Either way, give this a try.

Bulk Gummies (mp3)
Swampy (Summer Jam) (mp3)

There Will Be Buhlud

I love the Pixies, and I love Sonic Youth. But do you get this, that you harbor a certain brand of disdain for bands who cite them as influences? Maybe it's a subconscious effort to protect the original band by preventing focus to wander elsewhere. But more commonly, it's usually just because these "influenced" bands sound insipid and flat, no matter how loud they are. Although this tends to be a foolproof theory, something clicked for me with Blood on the Wall.

This band is like the quintessential opening band, banging the shit out of anything that's around just to prove that that, though probably not as talented as the headliner, at least they're more badass. OK, they make use of a tried (tired) and true idea. But that doesn't mean that I wouldn't love to see these guys live. They somehow take that idea of straight up plagiarism and make it appealing, and I give them kudos for doing so. Unfortunately they were just in Boston and I missed it, but hopefully I'll catch them next time.

Sorry Sorry Sarah (mp3)

Bing Ji Ling

If you're in the mood for something light, fresh and funky, check out Bing Ji Ling's June Degrees in December EP. It's soulful, but also kind of glossy, so if you're in a Hall and Oates/Jamiroquai kind of mood, do yourself a favor and check it out.

Lots of pseudo-world sounds, like he's going for the Moreno Veloso +2/Jovanotti hip style; but as soon as he opens his mouth, it's way too Californian to sound exotic. There's nothing deep or difficult to decipher in the lyrics, it's just a light treat to open up the day. Still fun though!

Just a few things to watch out for: This guy's whole career is based on ice cream, as you can check out at his myspace. (Bing Ji Ling means "Ice Cream" in Mandarin.) He's also pretty ridiculous looking for a soul/pop singer, and his bio claims that as a baby he was writing pop jingles for (duh) ice cream companies. It's all absurd.

June Degrees in the December (mp3)

STAX Covering All Bases

Very cool treatment of both Motown and Beatles songs done by Stax artists:

• Soulsville Sings Hitsville
• STAX Does The Beatles
  

Why these compilations are so under the radar, I'm not so sure, but a lot of takes on both of these albums are great. They include Stax staples like Booker T and the MGs, the Staple Singers, David Porter, and more. (Isaac Hayes does a 12 minute rendition of George Harrison's "Something." Wow!)

The best part about Stax Recording artists is that they do the funk thing and the pop thing at the same time; so to take some of the best pop music of the 60s, only to funkify it, that's a recipe for a great spread!

Isaac Hayes - Something (mp3)
John Gary Williams - My Sweet Lord (mp3)

The Groove of Hugh Masekela

Before Hugh Masekela fell into the abyss of smooth-world-reverb, he was a badass funk who got his inspiration from a reservoir of musicians and rockers.  Take Fela Kuti's horns, Berry Gordie's pop sense, Herbie Hancock's top 40 jazz appeal, Os Mutantes' psychedelic guitar twang, and Bob Dylan's social sensitivity, and you finely shape yourself the funky sound of Masekela's 60's catalog.

One album I'd recommend in particular is 1967's Hugh Masekela's Latest.  I found this record accidentally; I wasn't looking for it, nor had I known about it prior.  I remember thinking the title sounded rushed at best, like an afterthought to throw on a world compilation for the record company.  But after listening, I realized that at the time, it was probably the best title available for Hugh.  Not only was it curt and simple, but you understand where he's coming from, musically.  On the album, he covers The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Janis Ian, and all the while using his own voice.  So yes, it was his latest release, but it was also his latest inspiration. 

Check out tha fresh sounds of Hugh Masekela's Latest.

• Society's Child (Baby I've Been Thinking)(mp3) (Janis Ian Cover)
• Groove Me (mp3)

Mew Nusic from Thao

Thao with the Get Down Stay Down is my new favorite band.  Thao Nguyen's voice is smokey, her wit is dry, it's inevitable that she's going to be the new indie girl.  She's also the most attractive thing to come out of Virginia this side of Pocahontas.  She hates comparisons, so I won't make any.  I'll just say she's writing the songs that the 90s never saw, but always craved.  It's not too little / too late.  

She just popped out her second full length album, We Brave Bee Stings And All, which manages to be professional without being uptight, and simple without being juvenile.  Her themes of projection and reflection have grown considerably since her first album, Like the Linen; she has matured and has finally learned to take responsibility, rather than blaming others for her missteps.  According to her, the album is also heavily influenced by a former chicken/friend that was eaten by a raccoon when she was only the tender age of 5, and how that has denied her from trusting anyone ever since then.  Ma-toor.

I checked out her show with the GDSD in Cambridge, at the Middle East Upstairs.  Just so happened to be Superbowl Sunday, so Boston wasn't in a terribly elated mood, but they still rocked it.  Definitely looking forward for them to come back to Boston with Xiu Xiu.  Thao is also hilarious, and so is the rest of the band for that matter.  Look out for that fire!

Bag of Hammers (mp3)

Beginning of Blog

This is the Beginning of the blog.

I think in order to start it off, let's do a great spread.