Yeah, this is a short post but it’s also like number 8 or 9 for the day so I’m running out of gas. Not content, just gas.
Blacklight Sessions present: Best in Dubstep by djpaniccity
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So I know this is a music blog I run, but I wanna take a post to talk about TV real quick, because I have been tending to watch a lot of TV recently. I just finished season 5 of Dexter so I’m all caught up for the new season, Storage Wars is my drug, and I just recently started watching Beyond Scared Straight.
This post, however, is all about Louie! Louis CK is by far one of my favorite comedians. And he’s not someone I think of as a star. I’d actually like to think of him as more of a friend. He’s so open and honest and it feels like I’ve known the man forever. He works so hard at his craft and it shows through. His show “Louie” is in it’s second season (and maybe just ended?), and it’s become one of my favorite shows on TV. It’s so simple. It’s Seinfeld-esque with a mix of stand up and everyday life, yet it pushes the envelope a but further, much like Louis CK himself. Every episode makes me laugh harder than the last, and between Louie’s self-deprecating humor and “don’t give a shit” attitude, it’ll keep me watching for many seasons to come.
Anyway, to keep this musically related, here’s the theme song from “Louie.” It’s a song from the 70s and to quite honest, I don’t really like it out of context. But for the opening to the show, nothing would fit better.
Stories – Brother Louie (Theme from Louie on FX) [YSI]
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This post’s title is an idea I’m throwing around for another blog, but that’s a-whole-nother story. In this case, I’m talking local to central Jersey. So I’m from central Jersey and a DJ from central Jersey, DJ 609, tells me about a rapper from central Jersey, Roebus One. I figured why not give him a listen. Always good to hear what’s coming out of my home town.
And I gotta say, it’s definitely something different being brought to the table. Limited sampling, heavy lyrics, and overall appealing structure. I’ll keep listening. Below is Roebus One’s first single, “Advent Glorious” off his newest album, Inside the Diorama which released this month on iTunes. He’s also got Reflections of Goodbye from 2009.
I’ll be honest, when I was watching the video, I did not believe that the voice I heard was coming from the man on the screen. Is this good or bad? I really can’t say. But it’s something unique. And sometimes we do just need to through the cookie cutters in the trash and mold it with our hands.
Roebus One, you’ve got me listening. We’ll see what happens from here.
Roebus One – Advent Glorious [YSI]
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‘S been a bit.
I first want to say that I’ve been delayed in contributing only by my vaulting ambition. My Hamletian (a word?) efforts have striven toward completing the epic saga of R. Youfuckingkiddingme?: the R. Kelly Story. It has proven a multitudinous (the right word?) task since I really hate watching the Trapped in a Closet videos and there are 22 of them. I’ve actually managed to watch zero so far.
As such, I’m clearly not ready to contribute the first of the saga yet. Fortunately, I attended some concerts recently. So we’ll (I’ll) talk about that.
First. My boys. Blink 182.
Understand, I am a child. Mark Abigail Hoppus, Tom Lucinda Delonge, and Travis Saxon Wolfcock Barker are also children. The 15ish some odd thousand people around me were children. And those 20 thousand people love those three idiots with all of their hearts. Regardless of how terrible Tom might have been live last time I saw them (which was heinous), this time he was still able to get 25,000 people singing “I Wanna Fuck a Dog in the Ass” a capella at him while he listened on stage. When 35 thousand people can come together (and stay together, for the kids, lolololol) for anything at all, let alone a diddy about bestiality, it’s something special.
The show was held at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, VA. We headed there late. WE HAVE JOBS, SHUT UP. All I had heard prior to the show were horror stories about the traffic to the venue, the parking situation, and the terror-drama of attempting to leave before the next day’s sunrise.
Let me back up.
My schedule for the weekend was thus:
Fortunately, I didn’t have to do the 9.5 hour long-haul back to MD right away, so that was nice.
Anywho.
If you’re good with times, you can see that being stuck in Jiffy Lube traffic on Friday night would fuck my plans in their gay little mouths. Just facts.
The opening acts for Blink were Manchester Orchestra (who I love) and My Chemical (B)Romance (who I like). We got there in time to hear Manchester Orchestra’s last few songs while walking through the parking lot. Fuckin [your least favorite group of people], I tell ya. It sounded like I would have enjoyed it.
After making the 14 mile journey to the venue from the parking lot, we were able to treat ourselves to $15 worth of corn dogs (1) and steak sandwiches (1). I’ve had better of both. Especially corn dogs. In fact, real quick: How does one fuck up a corn dog? The fine folks of Bristow, VA managed to take an ostensibly impossible to ruin food item and demoralize it. I wish I had a picture.
Following our paltry scraps, we took our empty pockets to our lawn seats for My Chemical (B)Romance’s set. They were good. I hadn’t heard their new single, but it sounds a lot more electro-pop than their other offerings. Not so much for me, but the 40,000 people in attendance seemed into it. Their throwback numbers from Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge were nostalgia incarnate and I finally got to hear their Black Parade tunes. Gerard Way dropped a few octaves here and there and avoided the highest of notes, but they still did a great job keeping the crowd of 45,000 strong going.
A few songs before their set finished, a stadium worker was passing out tickets for seats under the roof, so my roommate (life partner) grabbed two and we moved up to Section 301, Row something or other. 4 from the front of the section. Sweet deal.
Soon thereafter, Blink came out to a deafening chorus of cheers from the 50,000 fans. The last time I saw them perform, it was their first outing after reuniting last year. Tom essentially ruined my childhood by botching both guitar riffs and lyrics throughout the entire set. This time around, despite looking a bit like present-day Axl Rose, he was like Aerosmith: he didn’t miss a thing (Ehhhh?!) But srsly, he even improvised, which ruins my theory that he never actually knew how to play an instrument. They were excellent all around; their new songs were good and my upcoming new CD boner won’t be down until 9/27 when Neighborhoods drops (along with my boner).
As the encore was fading out, my roommate [redacted life partner] and I slowly meandered to the aisle. We began creeping up the hill, then jogging. Suddenly, running. Careening through the parking lot, some gaggles of kids following suit, we crashed into our car seats, peeled out on the gravel, through the cones, over some stragglers now lifeless bodies, and were car number 8 in line to leave. We beat nearly all of the 100,000 people out of the venue and waited for no one. I came buckets.
I made it home by midnight, left at 12:30, got to PA at 3:30. Woke at 8:30. Drove to Toronto. Got in line at a local church at 5:30. Then. Jeff Mangum.
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea is probably my choice for Best Album Ever, once people are concerned with my opinion on that sort of thing (Christmas 2031. Look out.). Jeff Mangum hasn’t played a tour in around 14 years, I’ve been told. I was understandably excited. If you don’t understand my excitement, I ask that you kindly get out of the car. Go on.
GET OUT.
Now then. That bitch is gone. When we arrived at the venue an hour before doors, there was already a line around the building. The crowd was ready to go. Entering the church, which was a Unitarian church if that matters to anyone, it was, conservatively speaking, hot as balls. We went for balcony seats, because everyone knows how heat sinks. The only negative I can say about the entire concert experience was the 1.5 hour wait inside the church for the opening act to come on. The church kept cranking through the same 3 non-denominational hymns while we waited. Made up for all the years I’ve skipped going to church, I guess.
The opening act was a combination of Elephant 6 Collective members that people more versed in the Elephant 6 Collective’s history could tell you about more effectively than I. By virtue of my travel (and other life) partner, I know the one gentleman was Scott Spillane and another was Andrew something. There was also a woman who sounded like Kimya Dawson. Their music was a lot like Daniel Johnston. Very basic musically and very stream of consciousness lyrically, almost amateur in delivery, but enjoyable nonetheless and made more so by the fact that the crowd seemed to be very supportive of anything they were offered, which is always amazing.
Side note: Scott Spillane is the epitome of people who don’t care what other people think of them. He’s in his early 40′s, but looks 65. He has a white amish beard and a pepper grey bowl cut. He is not a lightweight gentleman. He wore shorts and high dad socks. He bellows like a redneck Povarotti. I couldn’t find a picture that does him justice. I love him.
Following their set, the greatest Jeff Mangum of them all took the stage: Jeff Mangum. He started with ‘Oh, Comely’ and ‘In the Aeroplane Over the Sea,’ so if you were there for the only 2 songs you know, you could have left right then. The silence that overtook the room when he started ‘Oh, Comely’ was really intense. Easily the most intense silence in human history cause I’ve, like, been there, man. During his set he said something that actually made me think and took away the mythical mystique I’ve formed around him over the years. It went: “There’s some bullshit rumor going around that people don’t sing my songs. Why the fuck else would I write them?”
That’s the perfect sentiment. He made us sing. We sang. It was the most tightly knit crowd of concert goers I’ve ever been among. It was mostly indescribable, so I won’t try any more. If you have the chance, see him. Like his music or not, I don’t care. It’s worth it.
It’s a shame that nothing really comical happened throughout that show. So, I can’t really make anymore ha ha’s.
Just wait for the R. Kelly saga. It’ll likely be too funny. And very little of that will be because of me.
**EDIT: The day after I finished this, I saw Buckethead in Baltimore.
The briefest review I can come up with is this: Whoever your favorite musician is, it doesn’t matter. Buckethead is better.
Neutral Milk Hotel – So Comely [YSI]
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I’ve featured this song once before, but it recently came up in conversation again and I realized more people really do need to hear it. It’s a live recording of T-Pain from Fuse Network where he performed playing piano and singing without auto-tune. Without auto-tune? Yep, you heard me right!
He recently said he would no longer be using auto-tune as he has moved on to a new technology. Unfortunately we haven’t heard much of this new technology because he has said he won’t release his new album until he get 1,000,000 followers on Twitter. Yes, that is kinda dumb reasoning, but for my own selfish curiosity, I’m asking you to follow T-Pain on Twitter so I can hear this new album. I’m really hoping that there are some more “pure” T-Pain tracks on it when it finally releases.
T-Pain – Drowning Again (Live) (No Auto-tune) [YSI]
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OK Go definitely made a name for themselves with their backyard viral music videos. Since then they’ve stepped up the funding and quality and have had some kick ass videos. Now they’re at it again. This time with the cast of the Muppets performing the opening song. I’ve got no big write up for this. they just seem like a real fun group of guys and I think I’d like to just hang out with them for an evening. So please, sit back, relax, and enjoy some OK Go + the Muppets.
OK Go and The Muppets – Muppet Show Theme Song [YSI]
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So I was listening to a couple of the new Lil Wayne tracks from his upcoming release and didn’t hate all of it. Actually, I really dug “President Carter.” It had a decent sample and I found it very dance-able. Then I was gave “So Special” a chance. It features John Legend and I just enjoyed the last Wayne song. I thought nothing could go wrong. And then I heard Weezy spit this:
And then she say my name like I forgot it
She crazy for that dick. Lorena Bobbit
Really Wayne? Really? I’m gonna take a shot in the dark and guess that a majority of your audience is younger than me. That being the case, that reference won’t mean a thing to them. I mean I would’ve thought it was witty if he wrote that 15 years ago… maybe. Is he using it as a joke? Because then I’m ok with it. Weird Al used it as a joke back in 1994 (side note: I had the video for this song on VHS in elementary school). Wayne may as well reference Nancy Kerrigan while he’s at it. So once again I asked my question: Is Lil Wayne the new Weird Al?
Lil Wayne – So Special (Only streaming until official release) ♫
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Weird Al – Headline News [YSI]
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And, oh hey, look at this. I’m not the first person to think this. MTV does too!
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So I just got done telling you how much I love Childish Gambino in my last post. Well, I made a Pandora station based on CG and heard some Gilbere Forte. Being a blogger, this is a name that always shows up on blogs and HypeM, but I never really listened to him before. Well on the first beat, I was hooked. He samples the 1987 live version of Run DMC’s “Here We Go.” I recognized it immediately and was ready to go. And damn Forte went. Went HAM on that track start to finish. When you’re dropping some live Run DMC it’s pretty much awesome from Forte to LMFAO.
Then it got me thinking: Wait a second. Born in 87? Yeah, me too… so we’re the same age and this is what your doing with your life already? What am I doing?
Anyway, check out some more of Gilbere Forte here.
Gilbere Forté – Born in 87 (ft. Run DMC) [YSI]
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Oh, and to answer my questions from above: teaching and making a difference.
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Well I’ve MIA for the most part over the past couple months. I hope I can make up for it in one day. I’m gonna try to pound out a number of posts today. I’ve got a piece of paper filled with possibilities. Anyway, tomorrow’s my birthday so consider this my gift to you guys. Here we go.
Post #1 for the day of power posting:
So in my months of absence, I’ve come across some pretty cool music websites. Not blogs, but other unique things. You may have seen them before or you may not have, but hopefully here’s my chance to introduce you to something cool.
First up: Rap Genius
As the growing number of hip hop artists become more and more witty with their lyrics, it sometimes gets harder and harder to follow along. Personally I love the challenge of trying to figure out the metaphor or wordplay. Sometimes I love even more when I get it and no one else does… Luckily for us internet geeks (sorry if by saying “us” I offend you as a reader), there’s Rap Genius, a website dedicated to breaking down the meaning line-by-line of those hip hop songs out there.
One person that this is great for is Childish Gambino. Let’s put it this way: I f***ing love Childish Gambino and can’t wait for his LP to drop now that he’s signed a label. But anyway! Gambino is super witty. He knows his cultural references and puns and can even catch me off guard. I mean like this song:
Childish Gambino – Not Going Back [YSI]
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I mean these lines make me laugh everytime:
Black dudes assume I’m closeted or kinda gay
White people confused like girl on Glee and Gabourey
I was originally going to write this post with all the lyrics but I figured I’d let Rap Genius take of that. Check it here and the rest of Childish Gambino stuff here. Oh, did I mention that Donald Glover (AKA Childish Gambino) is a regular contributor on Rap Genius? Meaning what? All his lyrics are explained 100% and done to Donald’s standards.
Enough of that. Taking a step in a different direction.
Second Site: Mashup Breakdown
Since my main man Mochi Beats has left the world of music and, more specifically mash ups, I had to find someone else. I think I might have a possible candidate in the way of The Abrahammer. I’ve heard some of his stuff and I’m digging it. He’s recently released a new mashup album called “How Dubstep Music Destroyed My Life.” Oh yeah, it’s got nothing to do with dubstep but a whole lot to do with the next site I’m telling you about: Mashup Breakdown.
So I think mashups are a really cool genre of the modern music world because they often boggle my mind. I’m a really visual person and the perfect blending of sound is something I just couldn’t do on my own. Thankfully, I can now SEE what is going on (image below). Mashup Breakdown takes a mashup from Girl Talk to The Abrahammer and SHOWS it to you.
You know what? My words aren’t a good description. Go check it out here with this song:
The Abrahammer - I Usually Drop It Like This
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Just got this sent to me and I’m digging it. The original the “Look at me Now” always gets my head bobbing a little bit and I love rapping along to it, but I never really want to dance. Thanks to Chase Apollo, I now have a reason to dance to the song.
It’s got a solid groove and just makes the song fun. Hell, I’ll even go so far as to say that it makes the hook good. Ok, that’s too far. It doesn’t make the hook good, but at least bearable.
Chris Brown – Look At Me Now ft. Busta Rhymes, Lil Wayne (Chase Apollo Remix) by ChaseApollo
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