A Few Zen - Music, Fusion, and Life

I was checking out the videos from last year's Pitchfork Fest (2007) and I saw a Jamie Lidell video. I heard of him, in a good way, but I didn't know what he sounded like. He seems pretty cool. He shows up with a tape deck and just starts laying down vocals like Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, Prince, and even Michael Jackson. It's like old school Motown meeting 80's funk. .....from this skinny white English guy who up until recently was just making weird electronic music. I don't think his fans saw it coming but I like picking up here.

He's playing at Lollapalooza this Saturday (August 2nd 2008). I'll check it out. Before Lupe Fiasco, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, and Rage Against The Machine. Not bad. Enjoy.

Posted by JJ at 7:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

John Medeski is THE piano player in the band Medeski, Martin and Wood. He is a relatively young virtuoso on any keyboard type instrument. He usually plays a different organ on each hand for every song he does. His band has mastered funk, jazz, reggae, electronic, and hip hop. Keyboard, bass, drums. No vocals. Mostly. A master of all types of crazy and beautiful sounds. I get to study with him/them in August this year up in NYC. I'm so glad (Cream). Anyways, John recently visited an orphanage in Peru and is now in the process of trying to have a bunch of Melodians donated for the kids! Watch the video here.

And here is John with the band....doing his thang on the 2 keyboards.

Posted by JJ at 7:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Beck is stil one of my fav artists. He starts with "Jackass" which is just great live country song. This is a great medley sounding good audio wise.

Posted by JJ at 8:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Louis is a great new Rock band. They embody everything about the Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll attitude of the 70's. They are today's Stones or T Rex or Bowie or Beatles. Very talented and grooving. They are coming to Chicago at the Metro on 3/22. I highly recommend them because their new album "Slick Dogs and Ponies" is the sh*t. Check out the video for "Guilt by Association" below for that one. See you at the show.

From their first album. "God Killed The Queen".

From their new album. Acoustic performance of "Air Traffic Control".

Posted by JJ at 8:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

My bud Rhonda hipped me to the movie "Once" early last year. It only played at the fine arts theaters. I waited for the DVD. I was shocked how much I liked the movie and the music. The movie director asked Glen to write some songs for the movie. Glen ended up playing the main role in this movie about an Irish street musician. He also co-stars with a female musician he already was playing with named Marketa Irglova. They won an Oscar (best song in a movie) this year for the song "Falling Slowly". Glen has a booming passionate voice and great ear for melody. Goose-bump material. He sings and plays guitar. His guitar is actually a quite cool beat up one with a hole in it. Glen also has been playing with his own band The Frames for quite awhile. They are decently big in Ireland (where he is from). He is currently on tour with Marketa and the Frames and are calling themselves the Swell Season. Check them all out. I think he might be the next big thing now that people know who he is, kind of. Thank you Rhonda. Should have listened to you sooner and caught them when you did when they were unknown. They just sold out two shows at the Chicago Theater in minutes. FYI.

From the movie Once.

Posted by JJ at 6:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I owed my bud Mark on Twitter a mix comprised of Old School Hip Hop like Digable Planets plus some dance hall Reggae. This is the mix. Hope fully you all have these songs. Otherwise contact me.

01 - Destiny - Zero 7 w. Dan the Automator 6:01
02 - Jah Love - Bad Brains 3:08
03 - Day Tripper / She's A Rainbow - Bad Brains 4:53
04 - Kinky Reggae - Bob Marley & The Wailers 3:46
05 - Junco Partner - The Clash 5:16
06 - All Night (with Steven Marley) - Damian Marley 3:30
07 - Dog It - Digable Planets 4:43
08 - Television, the Drug of the Nation - The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy 6:39
09 - Absentia Absentia - DJ Spooky 4:33
10 - Any Colour You Like - Easy Star All-Stars 3:38
11 - Microphone Fiend - Eric B And Rakim 5:38
12 - Mona Lisa - The Fugees 5:16
13 - Code of the Streets - Gang Starr 3:29
14 - Tippi Toes - Primus - Meters Cover 1:33
15 - Crumblin' Erb - OutKast 5:34

Posted by JJ at 7:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This band Rudder is one of the best bass/horn/keyboard/drum bands of right now. If you listen to any one thing, it loses it's flair. But if you just don't pay attention, and maybe pay a little attention to the bass, you hear a whole world expand. This band is very very tight, but still needs a singer or big lead instrument. Their first album Rudder, is the sh*t off of iTunes.

Posted by JJ at 8:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This mix goes out to my bud Mark from Twitter.com. This is JJ's Winter Mix 1 2007. If you do not know the Twitter website, you should join it. Anyways, Mark really wanted a mix CD based around the Santana song "Jingo". Santana, around 1967. San Francisco. Jingo is a Hard Rock song plus a Latin Groove. So I made this mix in that vibe. Latin, plus Hard Rock, plus the Groove. It follows as....

01- Shambala - Beastie Boys - Ill Communication - 1994
02 - Una Cosa Buena - DJ Logic - Project Logic - 1999
03 - Metatron - DJ Spooky & Dave Lombardo - Drums of Death - 2005
04 - Any Colour You Like - Easy Star All-Stars - Dub Side of the Moon - 2003
05 - Karma Police - Easy Star All-Stars & Citizen Cope - Radiodread - 2006
06 - Last Living Souls - Gorillaz - Demon Days - 2005
07 - Otra Vez - Los Amigos Invisibles - The New Sound Of The Venezuelan Gozadera - 1998
08 - She Lives In My Lap - OutKast - The Love Below - 2003
09 - O Le Le (w Chali Tuna) - Ozomatli - Ozomatli - 1998
10 - Limb By Limb - Phish - The Story Of The Ghost - 1998
11 - High And Dry - Radiohead & El Lele - Rhythms Del Mundo: Cuba - 2006
12 - Vikingman - Rodrigo y Gabriela - Rodrigo y Gabriela - 2006
13 - Jingo - Santana - Live at the Fillmore - 1968
14 - Don't You Worry 'bout A Thing - Stevie Wonder - Innervisions - 1973
15 - Guantanamera - Wyclef Jean - The Carnival - 1997

This mix is both Latin and daring in the rock sense of rock. Check it out. Peas it together.

Posted by JJ at 9:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This list took me awhile this year. Just to get it down to ten yet still list the albums that were good this year overall. There was a lot of good music this year.

The only thing lacking was some really good hip hop. It was all about 50 cent and Kanye West this year. But I was disappointed with both of their albums. I did check them out. 50 didn't change at all. Kanye did, but not towards hip hop. BUT.....I think Kanye produced the best album of the year. Common's "Finding Forever". It is truly a modern classic!

It was tough not picking the Arctic Monkey's new album though. It is young and rockin'. The Arctic Monkey's album has definitely been played far more than Common's in my iPod. But Common's will hold up over time. Common is for sure secure and mature. He even pulled one of my fav's D'Angelo out of an unfortunate early retirement for one song! I followed Common his whole career and was doubtful in what he could do with a new album that he hasn't done already. But I love it.

Over time will the Arctic Monkeys still be "something"? Maybe. They still need to grow up (they are all like 21). Who knows what they will do down the road (break up, go solo)? I'll still follow them though!

Kanye produced Common's last album too. I'll take anyone on that Kanye is a better producer than performer. But this new album is an old school concept album that is good all the way through! Plus Common does have something say. I still like "Like Water for Chocolate" as his best album, but that was 7 years ago. And this might even be better. Let time tell.

I hope you all will check out these albums if you have ever liked anything by these artists. And if you have never heard of anyone in the top 20, you might want to check them out! And if you know everyone in the top 20, you might want to check out the next 20 ones listed!

Best Albums of 2007

Top 10:
1) Finding Forever - Common
2) Favourite Worst Nightmare - Arctic Monkeys
3) We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank - Modest Mouse
4) iTunes Live Session - TV on the Radio
5) Everything Last Winter - Fields
6) Cryptograms - Deerhunter
7) In Rainbows - Radiohead
8) Foley Room - Amon Tobin
9) Preparations & Interregnums - Prefuse 73
10) Back to Black - Amy Winehouse

Top 11-20:
11) Because of the Times - Kings of Leon
+ iTunes Live Session (live version of most of that album)
12) Year Zero - Nine Inch Nails
13) Icky Thump - The White Stripes
14) Era Vulgaris - Queens of the Stone Age
15) The Return of the Magnificent - DJ Jazzy Jeff
16) Build A Nation - Bad Brains
17) Sound of Silver - LCD Soundsystem
18) Grindhouse: Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture)
19) Echoes, Silence, Patience, and Grace - The Foo Fighters
20) Spiderman of the Rings - Dan Deacon

Honorable Mentionable:
- Grand National - The John Butler Trio
- The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust - Saul Williams
- iTunes Live Session - The Flaming Lips
- The Harlem Experiment - The Harlem Experiment
- Afro Samurai - RZA
- Alive 2007 - Daft Punk
- Beat Konducta Vols. 3-4 : In India - Madlib
- The Black and White Album - The Hives
- Neon Bible - The Arcade Fire
- The Mix-Up - The Beastie Boys
- A Weekend in the City - Bloc Party
- No World for Tomorrow - Coheed & Cambria
- The Legend of the Mask & The Assassin - DJ Muggs Vs. Sick Jacken Feat. Cynic
- Costello Music - The Fratellis
- Our Love To Admire - Interpol
- Ruff Draft - J Dilla
- “The Simpsons” (Music from the Motion Picture) - Hans Zimmer
- Yours Truly, Angry Mob - Kaiser Chiefs
- Ultra Payloaded - Perry Farrell’s Satellite Party
- Zeitgeist - Smashing Pumpkins
- The Stewart Copeland Anthology - Stewart Copeland
- House of Om - DJ Mark Farina
- Live in Tokyo - DJ Mark Farina

Yet to come out, but possibly great:
New Lupe Fiasco
New Wu-Tang Clan

Posted by JJ at 7:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This is a great mix I just made for my bud Rhonda who is as much of a music freak as me. She wanted to get the song "Times Like These" by the Foo Fighters. That's a start. And I put it in the middle. But that song holds the overall tone and feel for the mix. It's kind of strong but outspoken and somber. Dave Grohl can really write a beautiful song. I think he likes all the same things I like. The new album is also phenomenal. Echoes, Silence, Patience, and Grace. I see people rip on it but it is the best thing I have ever heard from Dave Grohl. So this mix highlights my love of the FEEL for that one song. Enjoy. Try and find the songs on the web for pay if you can. Some are just rare as shit though. Hit me back if you can not compose this mix for some reason. It will hold any party down.

1) The Garden - Cut Chemist - The Audience's Listening 6:16

2) Twenty Question - Beastie Boys- Beastie Boys Anthology - The Sounds of Science 2:28

3) Morning Yearning - Ben Harper- Both Sides Of The Gun [Disc 1] 4:09

4) Only Ones Who Know - Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare 3:01

5) Baby Please - Jurassic 5 - Feedback 3:26

6) Go It Alone (with Jack White on Bass) - Beck - Guero 4:09

7) Hear My Train A'Comin' - Jimi Hendrix - Jimi by himself - The Home Recordings
1:35. This is one of my rarest Hendrix songs. And I am a huge fan. This came with the graphic comic novel "Voodoo Chile". The comic was definitely cool as far as Hendrix's life story. But I knew that already. This CD is worth it's weight in gold as a Hendrix fan!

8) Picture Book - The Kinks - The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society 2:40

9) I Just Wanna Get Along - The Breeders - Last Splash 1:43

10) What's The Matter Baby - John Lee Hooker - Live At The Café Au Go-Go (And Soledad Prison) 3:48

11) Drive My Car/The Word/What You're Doing - The Beatles - Love 1:54

12) Times Like These - Foo Fighters - One by One 4:44

13) Erase You (Featuring Chris James) - DJ Shadow - The Outsider 6:58

14) Clocks - Coldplay & Buena Vista Social Club - Rhythms Del Mundo: Cuba 5:02

15) This Modern Love - Bloc Party - Silent Alarm 4:26

16) North American Scum - LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver 5:26

17) Intro - Incubus (Live) - Soundbites 0:32

18) Who Cares - Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere 2:28

19) Out Of Time - Blur - Think Tank 3:52

20) All Night (with Steven Marley) - Damian Marley - Welcome to Jamrock 3:30

21) Breakdown (Featuring Jack Johnson) - Handsome Boy Modeling School - White People 4:09

Posted by JJ at 7:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

My favorite year of the Rolling Stones was around 1972. At this point of music history the Stones were THE BIGGEST BAND in Rock n Roll. Mick, Mick, Keef, Charlie, Bill, and a horn section. Classic. They made a film called Cockersucker Blues based on their live show and after show antics. This is a very good snapshot from 1972. This film was never released because the band feared that if it was put out, they would lose their work visas for the US of A. So it was scrapped until is was put on Youtube right now. Check out the rest. But what is very unique and rare about this is that Mick Jagger brings Stevie Wonder to the stage to play Uptight (Everything's Alright) with both the Stones and Wonderlove (Stevie's tight ass band). Youtube also has all the freakishness of junkies on tour from this rare movie. This song is just a great grab as a Stevie fan. Enjoy.

Posted by JJ at 5:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

While I was stumbling through some live Charles Mingus videos on Youtube, I found an interesting thing. A jamming bass clarinet solo! I have never in my long and snobby musical history heard someone else talk about a great bass clarinet solo. And I am betting you haven't either. So this is it. You'll have to disagree if someone ever challenges you about this subject of best bass clarinet solos !!!

Posted by JJ at 6:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

For the past few years I have been playing bass because I've decided that as a musician, this is the crux of music. I bought a bass a long time ago after I heard Eric Wilson playing dub in the band Sublime. I just wanted to be able to do THAT. That was and still is IT for me in bass. I've played guitar for a long time along with many other instruments. But bass just really kicks it for me on a subliminal level. Now I am also trying to sing and play bass which isn't any easy feat. Bass usually doesn't play in as easy as fashion as say a guitar or piano. The timing gets funky. If it's good.

There are only a few stand alone bass players who were great singers that were able to cash in. It's rare. The most productive in my mind are Paul McCartney (Beatles and solo), Jack Bruce (Cream and solo), Kim Deal (The Breeders and the Pixies), Les Claypool (Primus, Oysterhead and solo), Sting (The Police and solo), Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy), Roger Waters (Pink Floyd and solo), Rick James, Brandon Curtis (The Secret Machines), and Kamara Thomas ((Earl Greyhound (still unknown but great!)). And then there's the 200 million piano players and guitarists who sang and "made it". The odds are against being able to play "tight" bass and sing. It's tough. My props to the ABOVE players.

But I'm also a big jazz fan, literally. As a jazz bass player you don't need a singer. Your instrument is your voice. And as much as I have delved into jazz I really find I dig Charles Mingus as THE bass player and a composer. I am just beginning to learn walking jazz bass lines. But I have appreciated them for years. Paul Chambers for sure. And everyone Miles played with electrically in the 70's. But Mingus keeps popping up because he wrote killer songs! His songs are seriously so complicated and jamming that I can't get enough of them. And luckily Youtube has a lot of him.

The next 2 clips are one song live from The Charles Mingus Sextet in Norway in 1964. It's classic. Turn up my headphones! Plus it's funny how his bass starts slipping on the stage. The days before a good rubber stopper on the bass bottom. Should have spent the .35 cents. Enjoy.

Posted by JJ at 9:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This Mexican duo, male and female, rock. They couldn't get big in Mexico so where did they go.....Ireland. And they blew them away. They charted a #1 album with this new one (self-titled). After Ireland, they are now blowing the USA away. The woman beats out beats on her guitar, and then they both solo like crazy. I feel a smacking of the Guitar Trio (Dimeola, McLaughlin, and Delucia) but that's cool. I've never found anyone but myself that even liked that reference. I like it. 5 out of 5 thumbs for the new self titled album.

Posted by JJ at 11:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Jack White is really movin' around on tour up in Canada. He's jammed in a park, threw some spears, played in a bus, played to huge airplane hangars, and stayed true to what he's about. He even played with a Canadian flag drooped over his amp. I can't knock him for not knockin' Canada. They got a step on us. US.

I'm realizing that Jack is more country than I initially let on. This next clip shows it. You have watch the next, next Conan clip to see the Balls-Out Rock 'n Roll aspect more....plus the musical virtousity on Icky Thump......

But I like the country music that Jack likes. He is NOT the modern ultra pop country of the US, otherwise he'd be on every TV concert. This guy Jack is down to Earth and into the best of American music. Crossroad Blues, Punk, Classic Rock, and Alternative Rock.

Jack moved down South since he made money. He's currently deep into Blues, Country, Iggy Pop, and Robert Plant. It's great. I am waiting for his next album with the Raconteurs that he's also working on when he's not on tour in weird Canadian location concerts.

This clip is from Conan O'Brien's Show. The 2nd performance of the show is above. I have never seen a guitar player soloing like this on the keys while keeping rhythm on guitar. It's great. It's boldly original. Guitar rhythm, key soloing, and simple drums. No one

Posted by JJ at 7:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

First of all, I dig this duo. I have seen them twice live and they are the best dynamic duo I have ever seen. I saw them once with the Flaming Lips opening (omg), and once at Chicago's Opera House the Auditorium Theatre (omg). They rock like all my favorite classic rock bands, but with 2 people. Jack is a genius. Meg bounces and kicks the heartbeat. Beat, rhythm, vocals. They keep it simple. This clip below is a good song off of their new album Icky Thump , "I'm Slowly Turning Into You".

The new album "Icky Thump" has a great country song to close the album, about 2 acoustic folk songs, 2 good classic rock numbers, and 3 solid blues songs. Plus 2 songs with bagpipes. Great songwriting. The album really isn't about soloing, it's about rhythm. And they deliver. Buy it.

This song rocks. Live at Bonnaroo like a week ago. This grungey distortion he kicks into. .....is like THE greatest distorted guitar/bass recording in about 30 years. Buy the album if you have ever liked them. 5 out of 5 thumbs.

Posted by JJ at 9:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Victor Wooten popped up for me about 5 years ago. The bass virtuoso. I'm about to record some bass for my own songs so I decided to get pumped up and typed BASS into youtube. Up pops Victor. He is a virtuoso. Sick talented maestro. I've heard him play stuff that no one has ever ever thought to play. And he plays it all, and seems like a nice guy. I give it up to Victor Wooten now.

Posted by JJ at 7:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Charlie Hunter is still probably the best bass player ever. He does play bass, but also guitar at the same time too. He plays an instrument with the deepest 3 bass strings ( E, A, D) and the highest 5 guitar strings ( A, D, G, B, E). He rocks, and grooves, and jazzmatazzzzes!

He covers 2 guys in any band or trio. He can groove like u don't even know. And he's young. Charlie Hunter had a non-smoking show at the "Double Door" in Chicago a few years ago. The SMOKIEST BAR EVER! And I kept getting caught smoking during the show. Kurt Elling came out for a few vocal numbers (best singer I have ever seen!) and made it all good. I used to see Kurt every week on Wednesday at The Green Mill with the Lawrence Hobgood Trio. It was the shit for a few months, until Kurt got big. But he was humble and great every time I met him. Charlie Hunter is a musical prodigy, the Mozart of our hip hop jazzy times.

Good Live Clip:

Posted by JJ at 8:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I have been a huge fan of these guys since I heard them on their "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" album. This band is fast and super catchy. They lay down a punk feel that is very similar to what I grew up on 10 years ago mixed with modern animosity towards the pop world. They are out against posers and phonies. And everything about them speaks that. And they are less than 21 years old. That blows me away. But........these lads from England are not clueless about alcohol and drugs though, they are living it right now.

Their new album "Favourite Worst Nightmare" is better than anything they have done. It keeps the quick driving beat that initially attracted me to them. 9 of the 12 songs are really upbeat. "Do Me A Favour" is my favorite on this album. And it's the first video I found from their show at Coachella show 2007. All of this show is on youtube. It's a good one if you like any of their stuff.

One thing I like about the singer is that he sings in a strong cockney English accent and is 1970's punk at heart. No one sings with an English accent, you have to purposely do it. And I dig that. Plus it's like a poor english person's accent, but they use it and he has such a great melody and playing style. The singer solos and also holds down a rhythm. The band backs him up in a quick fashion. It all works nicely. And somehow, one can dance to it.

Here's them playing my favorite new song "Do Me A Favour" off of their new album at Coachella 2007. The live version lacks the 2nd guitarist's sound. But I like the overall feel at the show.

And here is another great song "Teddypicker" off of their new album also from Coachella 2007.

Posted by JJ at 7:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I didn't know what to think about P's new concept album.

I saw Porno for Pyros. And Jane's Addiction in two Lollapalooza's. This new band.......good drummer and bassist, Nuno on guitar from Extreme, Fergie from Black Eyed Peas, and P's wife (Jane's former belly dancer) on backup vocals. And Perry wanted this album to sound like a DJ mixing on a satellite, revolving around the Earth, having a dance party. Naturally.

But he stresses in interviews how Rock music has currently moved itself very far away from what the DJ's play in clubs. That's 100% true as a DJ myself. As a big Rock fan, I love to DJ say Modest Mouse. But if the Black Eyed Peas (or even Dr. Dre) are the hip hip hop, it's hard to mix those two songs based on the beats and the basslines. So Perry thinks he can make this album Rock, yet be mixable in between popular dance music and a good Guitar Rock song (wherever you are on the planet). OK.

But I like it. Not at the start of each song though. As soon as each song kicks into it's riff, and you get used to that riff, they switch into something either fast, unexpected, or both. I'm very critical of Nuno's soloing because he played in the cheese-ball 90's metal band Extreme. But I will say this......... he is wickedly talented. He is a virtuoso, but he works better with direction. On his own he just shreds ridiculously some type of Beethoven. But not money making. Whenever I doubt where Perry is going on any song, it switches into something I like.

This is a good concept album I recommend to any Perry fan who is curious. It grows on you fast. Perry actually got the rights to use a vocal sample of Jim Morrison on a track "Woman in the Window". And it sounds just like the Jim I love, but totally modern. And you almost can't tell it's mish-mashed over many years. It's cool. The album is all good because of the intricate song progressions they switch into to prevent any one thing from getting too boring. This album also has a great modern recorded sound. 5 out of 5 thumbs.

Posted by JJ at 8:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

These are two musical ideas I had this weekend that I wanted to capture on film. The first is a melody I have been playing for a few weeks now, except with alot of delay. The second idea I just woke up with on Saturday morning and wanted to play. I hope you enjoy.

Posted by JJ at 8:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This is Beck recording with Nigel Godrich. Nigel is THE BEST recording engineer currently on the market. Seriously. He is phenomenal. He can get Radiohead, Paul McCartney, Beck, and Air all happening. He supposedly can get the best out of the live performance of any artist. He can tape any instrument to sound like the guy was playing right next to you. Completely honest, yet with Beck effected. And he can records artists SOOOOOO well. This is Beck for sure playing with Nigel taping. I'm not sure where this came from, but Nigel and Beck are trying to record "the shit" from the SEA CHANGE album. Great.

Posted by JJ at 8:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's my shortlist of who I think is really important right now. Some of these bands are known. Some not so much. But all of these bands' songwriting is truly cutting edge and original.

1) U2
2) Nine Inch Nails
3) Beck
4) Outkast
5) Queens of the Stone Age
6) Medeski, Martin, and Wood
7) Charlie Hunter
8) Dave Grohl
9) Jack White
10) Amon Tobin

11+) Sufjan Stevens
12) The Mars Volta
13) DJ Spooky
14) Cut Chemist
15) Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley
16) Dangermouse
17) Franz Ferdinand
18) Muse
19) The Roots
20) The Flaming Lips

Posted by JJ at 7:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

That's me. That's my current DJ name. George Carlin first said it. He said that whatever reigns over this universe, it's the big electron. It's an elementary intrinsic right. This is my version of Black Sabbath's "Fluff". Luv id!

I really dig this riff Tony has going on. Clean acoustic guitar with multiple variations. Black Sabbath did it all without Ozzy, but they couldn't have got their way without him. One of THE BEST trios of all time. This melody is what I always have going on in my mind as I walk around day to day. Seriously, I have music going on in my mind, at any point during the day, like this. And I put it down for you, right here, right now, and not like Jesus Jones.

Luv it! This is my first posting as the artist...but I'm 2/4's what you thought I was you bastards! Have a good time floating the razzmatazz!!!!!1

Posted by JJ at 9:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Their new album "We Were Dead Before The Ship Ever Sank" is phenomenal! I was given the last album "Good News.." and loved it. I heard these guys way back when I heard Built to Spill....a long time ago. 10 years ago! And neither were "big". But they wrote big songs "way back" then. Ala la Pixie. An age now. Plus I've heard some stories from back then. And now they finally have their production "big" enough to succeed in the mainstream. I'm surprised they ever got big, but I'm glad. They deserve it. The singer in the band sounds like the best of Lennon or McCartney in their best growls and screams. He's got it all. The clean recording sound of this album is tight. Super tight. Listening to this makes me note how good sound recording has gotten in this digital age. This must be pure digital pro tools if nothing else. Johnny Marrs from The Smiths joining the band on gee-tar adds a different element than what I expected. Far better than I expected. They improved both their pop worth and their indie worth at the same time.....and that is ideal. Buy this if you have ever liked anything this band has done.

5 thumbs out of 5 thumbs.

Posted by JJ at 7:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This is Thom from the Henry Rollins show. Pretty sweet and non-acoustic. This features Thom on Fender Rhodes Electric Piano, Jonny Greenwood on something he made from metal bits and a keyboard (I saw him play this with Radiohead live), and some other guy (sorry dude, get your name out there) on a beat machine . I heard Jonny created the instrument he played. It looks like two strips of metal he presses together at the note and then slides up and down the strip. The note is broken whenever he lets the strips separate. But it's connected to some keyboard internally somehow. Give the track at least 2 minutes, because the cymbals kick in then! Good track "Cymbal Rush" from "The Eraser" album . Good on the album too. The other tracks he's done with Henry were mostly acoustic so this performance was sweet!

Posted by JJ at 6:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This guy has been out for about 5 years now and I'm shocked I haven't had a chance to bring him up yet. The greatest scratch DJ I have ever seen. Kid Koala. The first time I saw him at the Metro in Chicago, he was using 3 turntables at once. I've never seen that, or anyone that would need that. But he did. And he used 3 turntables the way Mixmaster Mike uses two (by the way, the 2nd greatest scratch DJ I have ever seen). He was mixing 3 records into one song while also doing some crazy mixing! Moon River was one song I remember him mixing up. And 7 Nation Army by the White Stripes. The 2nd time I saw him at the Abbey in Chicago, he had himself and 2 other DJ's playing his songs. 6 turntables plus a keyboard. No one has ever written songs for setups like that. He put out a DVD of that concert tour (live from short attention span theater). Plus he draws comic books. Anyways, check out this clip of him. One of the few DJ's that you could pay to see where you need to watch what he's doing the whole time. You might miss something! As a DJ myself, this guy is like a Hendrix...meaning that he is on a different level of the building than most of the rest of us.

I actually found a take of him doing Moon River on 3 turntables....

And here he is with Jester and P-Love using 6 turntables....

Posted by JJ at 10:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

These guys r the next big thang, along with TV on the Radio, and Wolfmother.

Posted by JJ at 9:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sufjan is just the Paul Simon of right now. He has great melodies and great orchestration. This is his song for Chicago, the land in which I was born. Sufjan gets across some part of my story. He is a folk singer. With 15 more people to cover the rhythm. Horns. Strings. Funk Band. But he is studying the States, and did Illinois already. He claims to do all 50 US States. I doubt he can do that. Not if he wants a solid career of his own stuff. No aggression here. Sufjan is Christian. The messages are all about love and redemption. Especially on Chicago. I can feel that he wrote this about us, me, we. Chicago is grand. So is this song. Enjoy.

Posted by JJ at 7:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I really am not sure how to describe these guys. I had the new album for a month before I liked it. I thought that these guys had bad voices and muffled music. So I checked them out on youtube. I realized these guys all had good voices and could jam. The album "Return to Cookie Mountain" is a concept album. And now, I really really dig it. I am seeing them next Monday in Chicago. I'll blog about it later. The band is from Brooklyn and is something like 4 black guys and 1 white guy playing guitar. But it sounds like the opposite. Check them out on youtube! Very good songwriting, musicianship, and vocal harmony.

Posted by JJ at 6:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This band still kicks it for me. Another trio that rips off the best from the past. But well. This is a good take of "Love Train". Where are your kids at? Hopefully nowhere by these rock and roll hooligans. Wolfmother Ladies and Gentlemen. I wish I could play this riff right now. And sing the chorus along to it. Their lyrics are actually pretty cool. I know the lead singer is a nice dude and he is, but he has that lie snear that he has to do for the rock crowd. Pulls it off I think. Good organ work for a small trio and nice guitar licks from Andy!

Posted by JJ at 8:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm a huge fan of this bro. Sings and plays like the tighest muthaf.....shut your mouth, but I'm talking about D'Angelo! He is as funky as any modern man can get with the singing, arrangement, and band setups. He's so good, but he' s taken forever to follow up his last album. Voodoo came out in 2000. I think he must be whacked out on drugs. 7 years to follow up a career defining album. I'm shocked he really disappeared. Too bad. A modern Sly Stone story. A loss for the music world. He missed his time. But this is still tight. He can MC and sing like a butterfly. Tight. Enjoy. This is "The Definition" of "BABY-MAKING MUSIC!".

Posted by JJ at 7:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Man, this band has always been a great trio in my mind. Bradley's voice is great. This is just when they caught on, before B died. This is a great medley with like 5 songs. Quite good.

Posted by JJ at 6:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wow. I dig these guys and just saw they made a video for one of my fav's off of the new album. 3 guys from texas. This song features harmonies which not all of their songs feature. I have seen so many shows from all of these perspectives. I like how the crowd is kind of empty too. Planned, since they played bigger places than this when the new album came out. I really like this video.

Posted by JJ at 6:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, this is offically Joe Walsh's site of praise for once recently! The James Gang represent a fusion of hard classic rock (ala Led Zepp) and Motown funk. Another power trio that rocks. Joe Walsh just has some great riffs with that 3 piece. Average white 70's blues singer voice. An Eagle at his best, I think better than the Eagles really. Hard rockin' and groovin'.

Posted by JJ at 8:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)