A Few Zen - Music, Fusion, and Life

Mastodon - Crack the Skye
As a fan of metal, prog-rock, and hard classic rock there is no better album this year. The only competition was Them Crooked Vultures (which is also on my list). This album is more classic rock to me than metal. There are some blazing fast hard parts to this album but mostly it’s a very surreal slow swirling vortex sound meant to represent “air”. All of their albums represent an element (earth/fire/air/water). This album is also a concept album about astral travel and Rasputin (and air). That’s metal. Needless to say I saw them play this album all the way through twice live this year. It was great. I listened to this cd so many times it wouldn’t work any more. I had to get another. It also obtained the rank “best album to listen to driving fast through torrential rain” this year. Every time the rain would get insane while I was driving I would toss this album on and it sounded even better. I would have thought this was their “water” album (Not. That would be their Moby Dick concept album Leviathan). Either way this is my favorite album of the year, by far.


Easy Star All Stars - Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Dub Band
One of my favorite genres of music is dub reggae. This is the best dub reggae album of the year and also a cover of one of music’s most beloved albums The Beatles Sgt. Pepper album. Easy Star’s have also covered Pink Floyd’s Dark Side album and Radiohead’s OK Computer album. All in a dub stylee. They are by far one of the coolest modern dub bands. Everyone who hears this likes it. Since they cover very well written albums by other artists it really shows off how well these songs were written. The Beatles songs still sound great and classic even though they now are reggae. Great musicianship and production.

White Rabbits - It’s Frightening
My friend Megan said she was going to see these guys one night. I skimmed them on youtube and loved it. I bought the album a minute later. Like a lot of today’s indie bands I hear a lot of the Beatles songwriting influence on here. They are minimal yet raw and original. The album is short and concise and a great listen all the way through. It makes me want to sing along which says a lot for it’s catchiness.

Andrew Bird - Noble Beast
I don’t really know much about Andrew Bird except that he’s an expert whistler. I wasn’t aware you could perfect it. I saw that one of my songwriting teachers this year was opening for him. I skimmed this album and it sounded very interesting. More than any other album this year, every time one of his songs shuffled into one of my mixes I was amazed at the songs and had no idea who it was. Over and over again it was this album. Probably my most obscure selection this year this album is really a great mix of indie rock, folk, roots music, and modern music. He’s of the singer songwriter genre but very eclectic and also a very talented multi-instrumentalist (he plays violin a lot live while singing). I bet if you get this you’ll also be pleasantly surprised when he shuffles on. You’ll never guess it’s him.

Arctic Monkeys - Humbug
If you have ever looked at any of my year end lists these guys are on it if they have put out an album that year. So here’s Humbug. I was thinking what would they do next after their last album. Ideally they’d probably work with Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age. Well yes that’s exactly what they did! They had him produce it and play a bit on it. It takes a few listens to get used to but I really like it. A bit harder edged sounding but still great songwriting and classic tones. If anything they picked up that desert sounding “outlaw rock” sound that I like so much. Another classic.

The Dead Weather - Horehound
Speaking of “outlaw rock” may I present Jack White’s new band. Jack decided to play drums on this album and playing nothing but Quentin Tarantino style retro 50’s blues outlaw rock. And it rocks. I saw them live once this year and they were amazing. Jack is also “that good” on drums where I don’t ever want to see him play anything else (big statement since I love his guitar work). It’s another Dave Grohl type thing. Jack is good on anything. Give him a tuba and he’ll write you a song. He does play guitar live on the last album song where he just tears through a solo. They sound like the best old blues music you never listened to. It really sounds like an album from the late 50’s-early 60’s. I wasn’t sure why Jack picked a relatively unknown female singer to front the band but seeing her live made it clear. She has a great voice and can really wail. If you like any old blues, Tarantino type movie music, or anything Jack White has ever done you need this. Probably my favorite video of the year also.

Them Crooked Vultures
I was glad to hear three of my favorite musicians ever were putting out an album together as a supergroup. John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin), Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), and Dave Grohl (do I need to spell it out? Nirvana, Foo Fighter, Queens of the Stone Age, Probot, etc.). I’ve heard many say that all Grohl and Homme ever did as teens was to rock out playing to Zeppelin and that is what this sounds like. Two high school kids playing with their idol. And it does. And it’s great. Since Homme sings and comes up with the words the most obvious sound is the Queens sound. I hear that more than Zepp or Foo. But it’s really quirky. You can tell the other two added nuances and changes to every little piece available. Plus they jam a lot. Once again it’s “outlaw rock”. If you like hard rock I’d recommend it.

Dan Deacon - Bromst
If you don’t know who Dan is it’s hard to explain. He makes music with a table full of effects pedals and sine wave generators. Music like you’ve never heard before. Truly modern. His live show is something I have never seen either. I saw him twice this year live. Since there is no band it’s not about that. It only reminds of something tribal of people dancing naked yelling at the moon. Not literally but quite closely. It’s all about the people live and it’s amazing. The best cheap shows I have seen this year. This new album took a different direction from his last album and is way more mellow but very cerebral. If you like electronic music buy it. Very avante garde. This video has Cheer Brigade playing with him (a 12 piece marching band who actually crashed at my buddy's place that night). I saw Dan later that night with this same setup. But 99% of the time it's just him playing with his table of pedals alone in the middle of the crowd.

Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...Pt. II
This album isn’t for the weak of heart or those afraid of profanity and foul language. But at the same time it’s a lyrical masterpiece. The Chef from Wu-Tang follows up Pt.I of this album from 1995 just 14 years later. It took awhile but is very well thought out. Plenty of top notch production, guest stars, rhymes and flows, and beats. If you like any Wu or previous Chef sh*t you need this. Best gangster rap album of the year.


Mos Def - The Ecstatic
I’ve always liked Mos but I thought his output has went downhill since after The New Danger. This album should have followed that one. Instead he busied himself with acting and Def Poetry and many other things. Which is fine. This album could only have come out after all of that and where he is at right now in his life. It is Mos in his top form. Great production, guests, and rhymes. Where Raekwon is gangster rap Mos is more indie hip hop or old school. It’s a good compliment to the only other hip hop album on my list. If you liked any Mos or old Mos, this is most definitely for you.

Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Asides from White Rabbit this album is the catchiest album of the year. I feel like singing along to all of it. From what I can tell everyone does. They really blew up this year. I recently saw them play an acoustic show and all 10,000 people were singing along. They just have “that”. They also have a really interesting sound based on classic singer songwriter formulas backed by very modern electronic sounds. I assume that has something to do with them being French and being friends with Daft Punk. There’s a certain electro rave funk subtlely going on behind seemingly simple pop songs. It’s very amazing stuff for fans of all music. I think more people were curious about what this album was whenever I played it this year. That’s why they blew up. A good one.

Phoenix - Lizstomania / One time too many - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

DJ Spooky - The Secret Song
Spooky fills out my list this year. He has always been my favorite modern dj. He mixes and meshes things without any regard to commercial sales or attention. He is a true artist. He mostly plays at museums and is also a visual artist of sorts. This album is a very cool mix of hip hop, classic rock, electronic grimey funk, and symphonic sounds. If you like avant garde music then this is the best album of the year in that genre. Well he gives Dan Deacon a run for his money.

Posted by JJ at 2:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

For some reason I stopped doing my quarterly DJ mix. I used to do all the seasons for all types of parties. So I decided to pick it back up. My Summer 2000 mix inspired me to do so. This mix missed the Winter 2008 Mix so it becomes the Pre-Spring 2009 Mix. I really dig all these songs right now. I hope you enjoy too.

01 - The Width of a Circle - David Bowie 8:09 2000
02 - Solid Steel Theme (Deluxe Version) - DJ Food & DK 1:19 2001
03 - Go Into the Water - Dethklok 4:20 2007
04 - Charming The Flames - Fields 4:38 2007
05 - Throw Your Set In The Air - Cypress Hill 4:08 1995
06 - This Time (I'm Gonna Try It My Way) - DJ Shadow 3:05 2006
07 - Come Clean / Channel One Suite - Jeru The Damaja / The Cinematic Orchestra 3:00 2001
08 - Beached - Neotropic 0:51 2001
09 - Wucan - Black Mountain 6:03 2008
10 - X1 (Underdog Mix) - Ice 1:22 2001
11 - My Kentucky - Earl Greyhound 6:36 2008
12 - Soul of a Man - Beck 2:35 2008
13 - Lucid Dreams - Franz Ferdinand 7:55 2009
14 - Mr. Dibbs "Fight for Air" Mash-Up - The Black Keys 4:03 2008
15 - 505 - Arctic Monkeys 4:14 2007
16 - Pet Sounds - The Beach Boys 2:38 1966
17 - Sunday Night Buttermilk Waltz - The Black Crowes 1994

Continue reading "JJ's Pre-Spring 2009 Mix 1" »

Posted by JJ at 9:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I have been searching for the Fender Rhodes Electric Piano sound since I first heard it 10 years ago. It sounds like heaven to my hyper-sensitive ears.

I debated buying an old 1970's Fender Rhodes. They are out there on Craigslist or Ebay. But they are heavy, have 1 sound, and are 30 years old. But I love modern technology and options. So I searched for the best modern copy of that. Roland is the only brand that owns the Rhodes copyright and sound. And it plays like a great real piano. I just bought this keyboard. The sound displayed here is the Hammond B3 which is another immortal organ sound. This guy rocks out my new keyboard using the B3 sound and supplied bass and beats from they keyboard. This just will keep you posted on the sound I'm moving into on keys. I finally obtained the sound and playability I have been looking for. Thanks Roland. FYI.

Posted by JJ at 8:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

My bud Brian asked me to make him a mix of my favorite songs off of my top 10 albums of 2008 list. I thought I'd 1-UP him by mixing him a cd of 15 tracks from my favorite top 11-20 albums of 2008 along with 2 songs off of my top 10 album list.

I have burned enough of these discs to realize you all need to check out this mix. It's really good. If you don't have/know any of these songs hit me back. Or buy them.

1) Rock 'N Roll Train - AC/DC - Black Ice 4:22
2) Replica - Beck - Modern Guilt 3:25
3) Psychotic Girl - The Black Keys - Attack & Release 4:11
4) Halo - Bloc Party - Intimacy 3:35
5) The What? (feat. G-off & The Whooligan) - Mark Farina/Colossus - Mushroom Jazz 6 5:02
6) Never Stops - Deerhunter - Microcastle 3:04
7) Misty Morning - Earl Greyhound - I'm on Jupiter Waving My Arms at You: Live at The Calhoun School 9:10
8) Porchlight - Eric Avery - Help Wanted 3:48
9) 3 Ghosts I - Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts I-IV 3:51
10) Top Yourself - The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely 4:26
11) You'll Find A Way - Santogold - Santogold 3:01
12) Wired for Light - School of Seven Bells - Alpinisms 4:57
13) My Medicine - Snoop Dogg - Ego Trippin' 2:41
14) Dancing Choose - TV On the Radio - Dear Science 2:56
15) Angel - The Wood Brothers - Loaded 4:09
16) Sit and Wonder - The Verve - Forth 6:52
17) Basin Street Blues - Willie Nelson & Wynton Marsalis - Two Men With the Blues 4:56

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

#10. Guns N' Roses - "Chinese Democracy"

I didn't think they'd EVER release this. 17 years ago I figured that was it. But the rumors persisted and then, the album came out! 13 million dollars, 8 studios, 30 recording engineers, a huge cast of musicians and it sounds good. There are only about 3 songs on the new album that sound like "classic" GNR. If you are looking for more than that, this album is probably not for you. But that's fine with me. I'm not 17 years old anymore with 17 year old tastes. The rest of the songs are mutated metal/hard rock/alternative rock songs that are very different from the old GNR sound. But original. Hip hop beats. Flamenco guitar. Crazy Buckethead guitar soloing ALL over it. And Axl's voice is still there unless he recorded the good vocal tracks 17 years ago. The album is also recorded VERY well and is VERY unique/original. I'd say it is at least as good as "Lies", "Use Your Illusions", and "Spaghetti Incident" (way better than this one!). There were great songs on those old albums packed in with a lot of average songs too, and this album is at least that good. I think better. I really do like this album, just don't expect what you used to like and keep an open mind. I also keep my inner 17 year old happy getting this on to my top 10 list.

#9. Q-Tip - "The Renaissance"

It's been 9 years since Q-Tip put out his first album "Amplified" which I really liked. Then all his future work was indefinitely delayed/shelved until now. This new one is a very funky hip hop album in line with everything he has ever done. Jazzy, R&B, Retro, 80's, smooth, and hip. It fits his style but is very modern in the way he approaches the music world today. If you ever liked any of his old stuff you should splurge on only his 2nd solo disc.

Life Is Better. I couldn't find any good live clips of Q. This is a bangin' track off the new one. Norah Jones is the female singer all over it on this track. Nice. It is also the typical hiphop "shout-out" last track, even though it's not the last song. All you see is the album cover.

#8. Metallica - "Death Magnetic"

Rick Rubin produced the boys' new album and said one thing, pretend you are "back in the day" and writing a 2nd disc to the Master of Puppets album. And they deliver. I didn't think they could even do that anymore. They can, they just have chosen to do something different over the years. This album is heavy, loud, fast, overly complicated and syncopated. Plus wonderfully recorded. One of the loudest recorded albums I have heard in awhile. I just bought tickets to see them live because the album is so good. And I haven't wanted to see them live since I saw the And Justice For All tour. Which was great (but old school). Now they are new old school. If you always wished Metallica would return to their old style, they finally did.

The End Of The Line

#7. The Walkmen - "You And Me"

This is my most obscure pick of the year. A band from NYC. I have been a fan of theirs for awhile but their albums just had a lot of variety and no concept. A lot of singles. But then this new album came along. Every year there are at least 2 bands who try and re-do the sound of the Beach Boys "Pet Sounds". This is one of them. It has that Phil Spector Wall Of Sound. Heart aching vocals, but more punk than Brian Wilson. And the album really holds together as an album. All of the songs work as pieces of one story and build off one another. This is the first time I have heard this band sound really together. I expect bigger and better things from them and I think this is their watershed album.

In The New Year.

#6. Girl Talk - "Feed The Animals"

Girl Talk is a DJ who just mixes other peoples' music. But he chooses to mix the most modern/popular/profane hip hop lyrics with the strangest of classic rock, 80's music, and popular rock songs. In a very dancy way. Out of my top 10 albums I have probably listened to this one the most. Whenever people are by or at a party, this cd gets people laughing and dancing. Plus whoever did these video versions of this albums songs on youtube also did a great job of entertaining. My pick for the funnest album of 2008.

Track 1

#5. The Roots - "Rising Down"

These guys have long been my favorite hip hop band. And THE ORIGINAL hip hop band. They play everything and write songs in a band format, but it's not rock. And it is cutting edge. There were always old school hip hop acts using bands to play there already sampled songs but these guys wrote hip hop songs on instruments. Plus their MC Black Thought is still my favorite. Besides that they have been putting out stellar albums for 10 years now. They pretty much have an album on my top 10 list every year. Nobody touches them in modern pop hip hop. These guys are on another level and this new album is no different.

Rising Up

#4. The Raconteurs - "Consolers Of The Lonely"

What can I say? I love Jack White. I've blogged about him many times. Plus I love hearing him in a full band. I don't get tired of that. The Racs new album is very eclectic like their first album. The best of classic rock, punk, folk, blues, and Americana. The musicianship and songwriting is top notch. They also put a great live show on for this album. I saw them over the summer. A must for any Jack fan.

Salute Your Solution

#3. Beck - "Modern Guilt"

Like the Roots I pretty much have a Beck album on my top 10 list on which ever year he puts out an album. This new one was produced by producer/DJ extraordinaire Dangermouse. It is stripped to the bone as far as the songwriting. It's real basic and 60's rock sounding (except for Replicant which is one of the years best electronic songs). For almost the entire album Beck and Dangermouse play all the instruments. If you have ever liked Beck or 60's rock in general you should pick it up. On a side note I also am awarding Dangermouse my producer of the year award. Besides this album he also put out the new Gnarls Barkley album and the new Black Keys album. They would both be on my top 20 list. 3 phenomenal albums this years and he was big parts of all of them. Kudos D!

Gamma Ray

#2. Louis XIV - "Slick Dogs and Ponies"

This is actually my #1 favorite recorded album of the year. It is as classic rock and old school rock and roll of anything I have heard this year. Pounding drums, wailing guitars, sex, beatles-y moments, and an overall concept album. For this album they actually added some string players. Very nice. Song to song it stands up on it's own. As did their last album The Best Little Secrets Are Kept. If you like classic 70's rock you should pick it up.

Guilt By Association

#1. Muse - "HAARP"

While my #2 album is technically my favorite straight recorded concept album of the year, this new Muse live CD/DVD blows every live show I have ever seen off the map. Props to my buddy Patrick who told me he threw this on every morning to get pumped up just to go to work. Made me wonder why. When you see this you can see why these guys are probably one of the biggest and baddest (best) bands in the world. Just a power trio but they sound like Queen on steroids and Red Bull on a spaceship 200 years into the future. Their lead singer is just a virtuoso. Guitar, piano, and singing. And he has the craziest custom guitars ever with most of the effects built on to them. He picks guitars based on the effects they have in them. Plus the band has stage prescence. Plus they have a stellar stage show and props. My jaw just drops everytime I watch this DVD, which my friends will tell you is a lot. Watch the clips below and see for yourself. One of the few bands that sound bigger than on their albums live (and their albums are really good!). Best of the year.

New Born

Starlight

Posted by JJ at 6:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I studied rhythm with Billy in the mountains and woods of NY. August 2008. The man is intimidating. But he really isn't. He's in control at all points to hold it down musically in his band Medeski, Martin and Wood. He changes rhythm into melody. He sees music as 2 people beating on logs between large distances. Each person talks through a rhythm on the log as a language. I didn't really get that just listening to Billy. But I did get it talking to him.

Billy put out a few breakbeat albums as illyB for DJ's to play around with for a future album. He put out at least 30 badass funky beats to do what you wanted with. I submitted 6 remixes for 2 of the albums he put out as remix albums. Needless to say I wasn't accepted. But I did mix Billy in with Hendrix, Chicago, Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, and Japanese meditation music. Maybe that's why I didn't get in. He said not to sample copywritten music but I thought I disguised it tastefully. Maybe he didn't hear the samples. Maybe he did.

Billy said that for all improv you need a beginning and an end, and a determined amount of time in between. And it works. The drummer does subtle cues to change.

I asked Billy about what he thought about using samplers and electronics and groove music and he told me to listen to Wu-Tang. And I think that is deep, because I like Wu-Tang, and they do sample and quantize.

He also said that your limitations define yourself. As did many others.

Here's is a clip I can't embed but is a great clip of Billy soloing. He starts making a glass bowing noise using a metal rod on a home-made cowbell of sorts. I have seen it live and it is cool, but the mics don't pick it up well here. He also has a Zildjian cymbal cut out to be a long hanging ride cymbal closest to the camera during the song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KeyT1mxWvY

Here is Billy doing his percussion act live. He is the only drummer I have EVER seen live (only John Bonham on DVD has it beat) that can hold down the show on his own. I thought that every time I have seen him do "IT".

Billy brought up the term "Avante-God". A mistaken word but cool. Here is MMW trading licks.

Emulate the music that inspires you .... Billy Martin.

Posted by JJ at 7:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I have liked this band ever since they came out. Saw them at Lollapalooza in Chicago years ago. Very good. The guitarist Mike Einziger is a genious. Mike actually played "Mountain Song" with Jane's Addiction during that show. Very great. As a guitar player myself I am amazed at what he can do. He writes very interesting guitar riffs, Brandon can sing his ass off around that (and play djembe), the ex Roots bassist holds it down, the dj scratches some nice Brandon vocals, and the drummer mixes between funk/latino/dnb and rock.

All of their stuff is good, but I'd say start with their new album "Light Grenades" if you have to start somewhere.

Posted by JJ at 5:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Saul is 100% poet and neo-futurist. He embodies the political unrest in this country while hooking up with today's electronic scene (new album was produced by Trent Reznor). He is not quite my ideal singer but he has a weird/great hard punk voice he is working. The weirdest thing about seeing this show below was that Saul was a mind-blowing vocalist to the point where I didn't think he could even sing. But that was real punk. Plus he handed out fake feathers for everyone to use during the show. This was a great show and attracted a very eclectic crowd. Pick up his new album "Niggy Tardust" off his site. It costs you whatever you really want. This clip is also great because the guitar player's strap pops off at about 46 seconds in. He definitely had to retune, but no one notices except the band.

Posted by JJ at 8:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I was lucky enough to get to study with Chris Wood about a month ago when I was accepted in Medeski, Martin, and Wood's music camp in the Catskill Mountains. He is by far the best bass player I have ever seen in front of my eyes. He is very studied and very cool and was able to drop a huge bomb on us musicians in describing his life in music. He helped me to learn my guitar up and down, backwards and forwards, and as a gorgeous instrument. The bass is close enough to the guitar for me to get "it", plus I also play bass and got "it".

Chris started his master class delving in to how our left brain dictates all of the bad energy when you improvise live. And how it makes us feel guilty or imperfect at the same time. He played this video and it amazed everyone present to see it. Everyone I have sent this to has also been likewise amazed. This site Ted also has the most intelligent people on the planet talking about the deepest issues of today's times. I highly recommend playing around in Ted. Kurzweil also has a brilliant talk. Enjoy.

Besides playing in my favorite modern jazz fusion band, Chris also just sings and plays bass with his brother in a totally different band. The Wood Brothers. I am really hooked on this band and am not quite sure why. Deep blues, country, and pop that I wouldn't think would work that well. It's just a great singer-song writer setup. But this family is genious. This song "Luckiest Man" below has quickly become my most favorite thing to hear. I am also taking singing classes that make you bring a song to class to work on. And I brought "Luckiest Man". It has beautiful harmony and rocking bass. I can't talk highly enough of Chris, and love that he is doing something completely different. Check him out in either band if you ever have the chance.

And here is one more gem from that live show....

And here is one more clip of Chris in his original band MMW, soloing to Ray Charles "What'd I Say"...

Posted by JJ at 7:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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 Melodicas 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)

This guy can play. After seeing Ben cover Dr. Dre's version of "Bitches Ain't Shit" I thought, this guy knows what grooves. Once again he does. He covers the Postal Services "Such Great Heights" with 3 random Australian percussionists (with some weird electronic gizmos, plus recording engineers). It rocks. the melody of this song is just strong. Ben Gibbard really can write a great melody, and he's currently making his money with it in Death Cab for Cutie. This is a great random clip.

Posted by JJ at 8:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, these guys are still my favorite new band since I saw them live. I've listened to the new album many times in my rental car this past week, and except for 2 songs (which I still like), it really rocks. I don't hear the zeppelin everyone compares them too. Maybe in the chorus of their song SOS with Kamara doing the "immigrant song" wail. That's it. None of them are as good as zepp's individual members. But their singing and playing harmonies are doing alot more. Upon more evaluation I hear alot of Chris Cornell, the Beatles, Jack White, and Joni Mitchell. They are really talented at getting across alot of white rock/blues music of the last 40 years. But the stuff I like. Here's a good slow track I've been bumping pretty hard the past week. Check out their song "two weeks" too for a good slow one.

Posted by JJ at 6:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I saw these guys at Scubas on 1/20/07 and they rocked. I thought the album was good, but after seeing them, I thought it was great. They jam.

A blues influence plus all of classic rock. The lead singer is a white guy much like a young black crowes or ac/dc reject, but he has chops and he likes using them. tall, rock and roll parallel look. nice guy too, i met him. Matt Whyte. then there's Kamara Thomas. A black female bass player who can sing and play. she played fender rhodes bass and sang one song I saw. She wails and is much like the Thin Lizzy singer and Hendrix with a couple feathers in her hair. And she gets down! The drummer, well, he kicks the beat that kicks your brain. A cross between Buddy Miles, John Bonham, and Paul McCartney (on drums). They all kick it. The album has it. I think it's great after hearing it after seeing them live. I saw them to about 30 people. Quiet, except for them. I have heard ringing in my ears for 3 days afterwards! But it's all good.

When I saw them I thought, these guys are the next big thing. I saw the White Stripes two times, plus the Raconteurs once. These guys are up there. They had IT. Pure roots rock plus a modern dynamic. They say they only use retroo where it seems they need it. I believe them. Good album "SOFT TARGETS" and phenomenal live show.

5 out of 5 thumbs.

Here's their first major single "SOS". It's a rocker. Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and The Beatles. Nice. Support them and see them live!

Posted by JJ at 7:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We are the Village Green Preservation Society
God save Donald Duck, Vaudeville and Variety
We are the Desperate Dan Appreciation Society
God save strawberry jam and all the different varieties
Preserving the old ways from being abused
Protecting the new ways for me and for you
What more can we do
We are the Draught Beer Preservation Society
God save Mrs. Mopp and good Old Mother Riley
We are the Custard Pie Appreciation Consortium
God save the George Cross and all those who were awarded them
We are the Sherlock Holmes English Speaking Vernacular
Help save Fu Manchu, Moriarty and Dracula
We are the Office Block Persecution Affinity
God save little shops, china cups and virginity
We are the Skyscraper condemnation Affiliate
God save tudor houses, antique tables and billiards
Preserving the old ways from being abused
Protecting the new ways for me and for you
What more can we do
God save the Village Green.

Posted by JJ at 7:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I heard this song thru Nirvana first....

It was great. The album version by Bowie is the shit! I found Bowie doing it on SNL back in the day. Good, but not like the album. Check out all the versions. Version!

Posted by JJ at 8:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

These guys have just not stopped hitting me since I first listened to them. They have the edge of U2, Joy Division, Bowie, the Beatles, and Johnny Cash. They are catchy yet hard and indie. So catchy. It's been awhile since a band has occupied my "Black Sabbath or Wolfmother stuck in my head song" slot. After I hear any of their songs, it resonates in me for about a week. I can't wait for their new album! But their 2 albums (+ a good techno remix of them) still rock hard for me ever since way back when.

Here's a cool version of Narc with marimba;

And here's a cool early mix of them;

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

Since these guys put out my top album of 2006 (Black Holes And Revelations), I thought I'd find a good live clip of them in the era right now. Here is one of the most hardcore songs (Assasin) off of the new album. The album has a very good mix of soft/quiet/loud/strange/grooving and folky music. But this song is a rare intense loud one. The trio.

I found one of my favorites (The Small Print) off of their 2nd to last album "Absolution". I just want to show you the energy of a power trio.

This is their hit "Time is Running Out" off of that 2nd to last album. Cool set of the Dr. Strangelove war room.

Posted by JJ at 7:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This year the award goes to Gnarls Barkley at Lollapallooza 2006. This was the set.
* We Are the Champions* (the crowd got so into it. cliche but perfect)
* Go Go Gadget Gospel (fast)
* Who Cares (groovin', my favorite album track)
* The Boogie Monster (slow blues version. let's cee-lo shine)
* Just a Thought
* St. Elsewhere
* There's an End (Greenhornes cover)* ((great song since the Greenhornes were kind of at the fest too. That is the Raconteurs (jack white + the greenhornes). The Raconteurs actually covered Gnarls "Crazy" at this fest too. They must have hung out))
* Gone Daddy Gone (good violent femmes rip off)
* Feng Shui
* The Last Time
* Who Scared You? (Doors cover)* (a great doors song I had never heard. obscure)
* Crazy
* Transformer (slow blues version. cee-lo at his peak)
* Storm Coming
* Smiley Faces

They all came out it tennis outfits and really pumped the crowd up. It was hot. Wolfmother just played (also great). They were THE hottest band at the world right then. Perry even came out to introduce these guys. Cee-lo sang and played tambourine. Dangermouse played keyboards (I didn't even know he did). They also had 3 backup singers, a bass player, a guitarist, another keyboard player/dj/soundman, and a 5 piece string section. It was great. Epic.

Here's a clip of their biggest hit "Crazy" at this show. There was an energy that I can't explain any better than this blog.

Posted by JJ at 6:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I made a mix of all of my 2006 albums and it's actually a very good one. This mix has such a variety I actually have been listening to it quite a bit. A lot of unexpected things have come out this year and it was tough picking 10 best ones. Basically these are the albums that have been in my car cd player since I bought them. Constant rotation. I overlisten to songs I like too much! (to where I burn them out and get bored with them). These top ones are still great after many many listens (and all have improved with every listen). I feel they are all worth the purchase if you have liked anything about these artist in the past.

1) muse - black holes and revelations
2) wolfmother
3) arctic monkeys - whatever people say i am, that's what i'm not
4) outkast - idlewild
5) the raconteurs - broken boy soldiers
6) beck - the information
7) bobby previte - the coalition of the willing
8) lupe fiasco - lupe fiasco's food & liquor
9) gnarls barkley - st. elsewhere
10) the roots - game theory

These albums are my runner-ups. All of these are also pretty great albums.
* indicates top 10 list runner-up (if I had a top 20 list, these would be there)

ben harper - both sides of the gun
billy martin - solo live at tonic
billy martin - illyB Eats Vol. 3
built to spill - you in reverse
cut chemist - the audience is listening
dj logic - zen of logic (*)
dj shadow - the outsider
dj spooky - in fine style - 50,000 volts of trojan records (*)
don caballero - world class listening problem
the dresden dolls - yes, virginia (*)
eliades ochoa - best of buena vista
the flaming lips - at war with the mystics
hi-tek - hi-teknology
incubus - light grenades
jurassic 5 - feedback
the killers - sam's town
lcd soundsystem - 45:33
liars - drums not dead
madlib - beat konducta vol. 1-2:movie scenes (*)
the mars volta - amputechture (*)
mastodon - blood mountain
matisyahu - youth (*)
medeski scofield martin and wood - out louder
peeping tom
prefuse 73 - security screenings (*)
the red hot chili peppers - stadium arcadium
ruben gonzalez - best of buena vista
the secret machines - ten silver drops (*)
the strokes - first impressions of earth
sufjan stevens - the avalanche
tenacious D - the pick of destiny (*)
thom yorke - the eraser
tool - 10,000 days
we are scientists- with love and squalor (*)

Posted by JJ at 5:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Listening to Thom there just wanted me to hear "there there" by Radiohead. Thinking about it....these guys are my Beatles. In all the same ways I like the Beatles. Very cool band interplay, melodic, strong yet peaceful. This is a good version of the song. But the band is brilliant! Another ode to the boys.

Posted by JJ at 7:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It took me awhile to get to reviewing this. But appreciated. Another Nigel Godrich beauty (producer, mixer). This guy is one of the producer-extraordinares around. Beck, Paul McCartney, REM, U2, Pavement, Ride, Zero7, Radiohead, and Thom from Radiohead now. This album sounds wonderful. It's 90% electronic and the other 10% is at least effected. A laptop, sampler, guitar, piano, drums, bass, Thom, and Nigel. I think that's what it is. A very personal 1st solo album. A closely recorded sound. "the eraser", "black swan", "the clock", "skip divided", and "cymbal rush" are all good tracks. Completely electronic sounding.....if you were worried he would go that route. Don't buy it if you don't like radiohead melodies, Thom's singing, or blips and bleeps for music. If you do like that route, he put out a great one. 5 out of 5 stars for Thom's first.

The Eraser

rare acoustic clip. if you hear the album, nothing sounds like this with him on guitar:

Posted by JJ at 6:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Larry and Paco. Paco and Larry. Possibly some of THE best guitar I have ever seen in my face live. These guys are on that Hendrix level of the building of life that most guitarists don't even know about.

Posted by JJ at 11:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Benson and Santana. Sweet. I think both of these guys rock. Santana screams. Benson is just smooth. This is Breezin by Benson....who knows where. But I love finding it. This is also taped during Santana's Guru days with Sri Chinmoy where he adopted the name Devadip Carlos Santana, wore all white, and was sober. A weird duet from that period. Carlos didnt stay with that guru long....for the record.

plus one more...

Posted by JJ at 11:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Unlike most cover bands, this band is 2 kids. They are covering some HEAVY metal and rocking out. I can't believe it's two spanish kids doing alot! Where are these kids parents? Are any parents proud of death metal?

Posted by JJ at 11:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

These guys rock. I don't knwo who they r. But they rank high on youtube.com. That's all that really matter to me surfin' the world right now.

Posted by JJ at 8:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I haven't commented about this boy enough. He is my favorite producer. He can make you a groove that can last you all night long. His knowledge is immense. Check out "The Chronic" and the "Chronic 2001". Nuff said. Enjoy B&&tches! Just listen to the tunes. He is all about the music. The gangster vibe is secondary. I could rap over this stuff (it's so fine) and be as big as Diddy. It's just sick good.

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

I've blog'd about them before. They kick it. This is their first hit. I consider them one of my top ten bands of all time. Everything they have done...I have enjoyed. Greatly! Idlewild is as adventurous as Speakerboxxx, but it is cinematic. Obviously, they have a movie out with it. I predict grammy right now. No one called it except me right now. The grammy folks like my boys. So how far across the street is the Academy. Pick up any album they have done recently and you will see how talented these 2 bros r. They are so far away from the rap game right now...hip hop will take years to catch up wit' 'em.

Posted by JJ at 8:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I dig the harmonies and feel of this song. Pretty cool.

and this song is very 80's retro for me...for what I like.

and this song is the bomb! turned me on to them a while agos. kickin' zeppelin-y beat and the bombast of classic rock! but the site has the video blocked. go to the link and this will be the real deal.......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JhJUr4kO5c

Posted by JJ at 8:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This cracks me up. Poor people!

Posted by JJ at 8:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This is a cool riff from the new album called "Asilos Magdalena". It's the only slow song on the new one but is a great acoustic song with just Omar and Cedric doing their thing. You'll have to get the album to hear the whole thing, but I like seeing the base guitar riff being played. Sweet latin ballads.

Posted by JJ at 11:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A cool video from my CA boys. This shows some of Cedric's vocal abilities and harmonies later in the song. Dark but cool.

Posted by JJ at 11:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As a dj this is hilarious. I've been there....

Posted by JJ at 11:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's another Hendrix rarity I found. The song starts with Mitch Mitchell (best drummer ever!) playing an old American Indian rhythym Hendrix showed him. And Hendrix brings up Indians in the intro (his grandma was American Indian). Nice whammy bar work. A very experimental song of Jimi's off of "Are You Experienced". This is a good jam. The only clip I have ever seen of Jimi trying to pound a beer someone gave him at the start of the song. Great.

Posted by JJ at 10:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Guys

Ok. I guess your album title is playing with words. Great. This album follows their epic concept album "Frances the Mute". They go for a concept album again but.....do it better. 8 songs. Long songs. This album is worth the buy for song 4 "Meccamputechture". The sh&t! This song gets across my favorite led zepp side of them plus it has a great solid rock vibe. This song is one of the best songs of 2006! This album tends to focus more on blues and santana inspirations than anything else. Really solid on a rock vibe except for the long songs. Really solid on the short songs (which is different for them). They ditched the jam band thang on the short songs. And on some of the long ones. John Frusciante from the RHCP is all over this sh&t and a band member now. Song 4 I think has Frusciante doing all the solos and he cooks on them! Buy this song if no other one. 11 minutes. But the album follows minutes like this for their 8 songs: 7, 17, 4, 11, 7, 9, 12, 9. There are acoustic ballads and a lot of impromptu espanol. Cedric said he makes up words in spanish just to mess with the spanish fans. But he messes with english too. Overall they are trying for too much after At the Drive In. But I like that they went hardcore anti-radio emo. Viscera Eyes is there most tight single sine ATDI. Great. Horns. Hard rock. Great. Check this album out!

5 Thumbs

Mars Volta Website

"Amputechture" Album

Continue reading "The Mars Volta - Amputechture" »

Posted by JJ at 9:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This is a trio of young guys from Australia. They have one album and it is a good one. They take from all of the best 70's hard rock and record it better than they could in the 70's. I hear Black Sabbath, Zeppelin, Grand Funk, White Stripe, Jeff Buckley, Free, and every other good 70's rock band. I saw them at Lollapalloza 06 and they looked like 3 guys pulled from the 70's. They say they don't do drugs, but they have. You wouldn't want to dress in 70's clothes and have 70's fros and sideburns if you have never done drugs. Lets just say they don't do them now. Or they are just covering for themselves. Either way this album is great if you like hard rock like Black Sabbath. This video is from some Virgin Records store and is as raw as their bootleg stuff gets. So I put a raw clip. Because they are already huge and growing. You can see their popular videos on youtube.com.

Posted by JJ at 8:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One of my favorite videos ever. Thanks youtube.com! Bootie Brown (the first rapper in the video) went on to do "Dirty Harry" with the Gorillaz and has a tight style. I saw the Pharcyde once and they were great. They played with Tortoise, Medeski Martin and Wood, and the J. Davis Trio. Good show. This video rocks.

Posted by JJ at 8:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

These guys are one of my favorite quintessential bands that no one has heard of. They were merging hip hop, rock, funk, classic rock, reggae, and alot of other styles back when GNR were big. They had a hit or two, this one is one of their biggest "Deeper Shade of Soul". Rappers didn't cross over for years. And they had a turntablist on the band too. I saw them live and it was my first 18 or older show and I thought......what goes on at 18 and over shows? They had 2 strippers open for them at the Metro Chicago in '91. I thought...is this how all 18 and over shows are? No. Never have I seen that again in my life. They are classic. Pick up the album "Mental Floss For The Globe" if you would like to check them out.

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

This song is what's up if you ask me....

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

Amanda and Brian rock. Two players who went an all different from the White Stripes. I saw them live and they got a really cool original vibe.

Posted by JJ at 7:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DJ Premier is one of the tightest dj's and producers in NYC. He's been behind so much shit, it'll take another entry to cover some of them. This is a good clip from the movie "Scratch" you should check out.

Continue reading "DJ Premier" »

Posted by JJ at 7:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DJ Spooky is a great mixer of everything he hears. Everything. This a cool clip from some sky lounge in Switzerland. Posh crowd but they got some grooves going on in this pad.

Posted by JJ at 7:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This is for a fan, Otto who wanted more Mahavishnu. Can't rightly turn him down now can I?

Posted by JJ at 8:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This 6 second loop is quite amazing as far as what it's done for the music world. The so called "Amen Break" is a sample that has been used so many times you can't even reckognize it anymore. This video shows how it has been twisted to create some phenomenal music. You will see the history of alot of music go by as you watch this. It is worth the time if you like grooves and music to dance to. Enjoy.

Posted by JJ at 11:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I noticed that Sufjan was getting great reviews from tough people last year. Never thought much of it. But I just recently saw he had a good new album. So I thought, why not check out "Illinoise" and see what last year's "good" album was about. Yo, it is the greatest thing I have heard in about 5 years. Everything I really want to hear. Seriously. It is a concept album about the state of Illinois in the USA. And the test to me at this point for Sufjan is to see if he always sounds like this. This album is everything I want to hear as a person who has lived his whole life in Illinois. This album speaks to me. I am not sure how much homework he did for my state, but he nailed it. I hear CSNY, Curtis Mayfield, George Winston, the Grateful Dead, Miles, and Radiohead tied in in such a cool way, I just think this young dude is THE SHIT! This " Illinoise" concept album is 24 badass songs long! Nobody but a hip hop artist in today's times has done something like this. There are tons of interludes but they are the best modern classical music I have ever heard. Buy Ilinoise! Sufjan plays alot of the instruments on this. He is trained in the oboe, english horn, drums, banjo, guitar, and piano. I just picked up the new album "The Avalanche" which is outtakes from the "Illinoise" album. How could that be bad. Stuff he didn't include on his 24 song previous album. Badass outtakes. What was he thinking? I really enjoy this guy. Check him out......

and this ain't him....but it's a badass live take of stevens that I don't have! .........

and this is just sick!!!!!

Posted by JJ at 8:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

ok. these guys rock, hard! jack white decided to form a band with his fellow detroit natives the greenhornes. they opened for the stripes last time i saw them. but the greenhornes are mellow. with jack white they are proto-zeppelin and skynyrd rapped up with some CSNY. now a raconteur means this "One who tells stories and anecdotes with skill and wit" alla the french word. cool meaning. but they should have just called the band "one who tells stories and anecdotes with skill and wit"! the racs is one of THE worst band names ever to me (it would sink most bad bands!), even though the def is cool. i wish they would have picked something more easyyyyy. but i will see if the band name haunts them. i saw the racs in san fran last friday and they rocked. really. jack white as i have already said is a near hendrix in today's times. everything he touches turns to gold. like dave grohl. naturally they should work together. anyways, their first album is really good. a few slow songs, but more upbeat ones. the above video for level is my favorite song on the album. blue veins is one of the best modern blues songs i have heard. broken down soldiers features jack singing the best robert plant impersonation i have ever heard. plus the zep vibe. acoustic and electric. there is a nice vocal interplay between white and brendan benson. white likes having two vocalists. plus a bass player, keyboard player, 2nd guitarist, drummer, and other singer. and i have been waiting for this to happen. i just wanted the stripes to add a bass player for years. this is what i would want from the stripes. pick it up. jack can rock!!!

The Racontuer's Website

Broken Down Soldier Album on Itunes

Posted by JJ at 4:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I have always regretted missing Beck's "Sea Change" Tour because he toured with the Flaming Lips. The major upset besides missing them both was that the Lips were Beck's whole band for his part of the show. As a huge fan of both bands, I missed it totally. But I found it on www.youtube.com. I love that site. It is a webcast and the picture quality is bad, but it's the whole Beck show with the Lips as his band. I am glad I didn't miss this show forever. If you like either band, this is cool. Beck is a great singer/songwriter/guitarist and the Lips are very talented band of musicians. Enjoy.

Posted by JJ at 11:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This band has always represented to me a technical, musical, virtuosity. No singing and insane musicianship! I am THE music nerd, so cut me some slack. These guys are widely unknown everywhere. You can't imagine how many blank stares I've seen when I bring these guys up at parties. They were as big as any jazz fusion band went back then (1970's), but they didn't have any real fame. But they toured arenas, which barely any jazz bands get to do. Particularly because they were electric. A mash of jazz, indian, classical, blues, and drum n bass. They toured the US as one of the highest paid arena rock jazz fusion bands in the US in the 70's (a small list of bands in this genre really). The band was also made up of musicians from all over the world. This video shows an utterly original band that no one can touch in the chops department. Check it out. You may not dig it, but it's one of the most complex pieces of music ever played live by 5 people.

Posted by JJ at 10:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I've talked about the White Stripes before and they kick ass. Rock, blues, and punk at it's most primal. It's simple music but it's also ridiculously original. This video shows IT all off. They always have cool videos but with just two of them in the band, this shows them off. They must of borrowed a ton of equipment for this one. See them live when they come to your town!

Posted by JJ at 10:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I saw this on www.youtube.com and it blew me away. I am a Hendrix fanatic, so I have watched everything I've ever been able to get my hands on. This, I have never found anywhere else. It looks like someone's home footage of Hendrix at his house, on his bed, jammin to some ladies. Jimi holds it down too.

Posted by JJ at 11:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

these guys don't have to prove themselves to me. after their last 4 albums, a DVD, and 1 live show on new years... they had me sold as the 2nd coming of Pink Floyd (oh...try and argue me!). I cracked a beer and threw this new album on. All of the genius songwriting, 3D recording, and deep lyrics r there. reliably. i loved yoshimi. synthetic electronic soundscapes and futuristic rhythms. but this album didn't have that. it sounds like a band recorded in 1976. a cross between the best late-era beatles and any pink floyd. i kept hearing riffs i was like damn, thats great, sounds familiar, oh its like the beatles or floyd. but that was a good memory! something i liked from years ago that i haven't heard again since back "in the day". the music and songwriting is there. they rock. it has everything. slow, groovin. funky, rockin', and psychedelic. pick it up if u have liked anything they have done in awhile. it is THE BEST thing they have done in 4 years fo sho'!!! 5 out 5 stars.

The Flaming Lip's Website

Posted by JJ at 12:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

this new album rocks. i loved 80% of the last album (not the EP though) minus the slow songs (but those were good for mellower times). i expected as much. but only 8 songs (with a title "10 drops of silver"?). I read the reviews. mixed. but everything they had on the last album is there. a badass trio. bass, drums, guitar/keys, and a voice. that's all there along with the good songs. people r misinformed about this albums intensity. the intensity is there but this album doesn't have the production distortion or grit from the last album. but i don't care. the songs r just as good but they did ALL of them cleaner (recording-wise). it's tough as a psychedelic band to come out the same day as the flaming lips. very hard. buy that album before this one (at war with the mystics) BUT also buy this one if you liked their last full album. I thought their last album was one of the best debuts in the last 20 years. tough to follow it up. but they did it. this album is goooood!! u will like it. just give it a minute and forget about the fuzz it lacks. all they needed to do was add fuzz to the bass if u think something is missing. but listen to the bass...it doesn't need fuzz. and he's the one singing, baby! 4 out of 5 stars

Secret Machines' Website

Posted by JJ at 12:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, the boys from The Strokes have graduated to stadium rock. The garage scene has passed. This new album shows that this band has matured. Still talking about relationships and the irony of losing your mind at a young age, Julian Casablancas has a much stronger voice on this album. He really gets into his grittyness and really let's loose. This album sounds more intense than any of their others. Both musically and emotionally. Real upbeat hard songs. Real quiet pretty songs. Quirky funky ska-ish tunes. And "artsy for the sake of being artsy" ones. I'd say half the sound is like the classic Stroke's albums but the other half has moved on and up. And yes, finally some jazz fusion from them (hell yeah, during "Vision of Division",is that an indian raga jam?)! There are also moments of hard rock jamming that I never heard them try before. The 2 guitars are working it. The drummer and bassist sound better than ever. Different elements of syncopation and dynamics that are unusual, but welcomed. Now I can hear how they say bands have ripped off some of their sound. But there are parts on this new album where the band is trying things that remind me of bands like the Smashing Pumpkins, the Sex Pistols, the Beatles, and U2 (all of which aren't bands they typically sound like). Jim Derogatis from the Chicago Sun-Times had a great description of the Strokes' current sound: extremely tuneful garage-rock minimalists with a sleek and streamlined sound capable of erupting into inspired bursts of controlled fury or taking subtle and unexpected detours into other genres. Yeh, what he said. But they still have a lot of soul and rock left in them. They tried a different producer on this (David Khane) of Sugar Ray fame (also add in Tony Bennett and Cher). I thought Sugar Ray? But this is what Julian (lead singer of the Strokes) had to say, "I think (Khane is) really cool. I think when you first meet him though, you can get caught in the façade. He has a very technical knowledge and he'll be very quick to casually spew it out. You might think he's just some serious slick hit-maker and that he doesn't care about music, but that's what he's all about: music. He cares about it so deeply that if you change a little part, and you're hurting the song, he'll cry." Another quote from J, ""We were figuring stuff out, but after three or four songs I was thinking in my mind that 'I can't believe we're finally sounding the way I want us to sound'." This album is good. If you liked the first two Strokes' albums then you will also like this one. It is growing on me. It's so short (like the last 2 albums!) I can relisten to everything quickly. Check it out.

5 out of 5 thumbs.

The Strokes' Website

Posted by JJ at 10:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This album has been out since March 2005, and I should have been listening to it since then. Silent Alarm is one of the top 10 albums of 2005!!! I haven't yet turned it off since I got it. And usually I burn myself out on a band really quickly (overplaying them). This is a band from the UK who are unlike anything I have heard in awhile. I can not yet dissect where their musical sound comes from but it's somewhere in between Radiohead, the Cure, U2, the Clash, Franz, Blur, and the Police. Lyrically and vocally I'm not sure who this singer sounds like. He sounds like a snobby white British teenager (but not a John Lydon). But suprisingly he's the one black guy in the band. The band is a mix of an asian guy, a black guy, and two white guys ((Kele Okereke (vocals, guitar); Russel Lissack (guitar); Gordon Moakes (bass guitar); Matt Tong (drums)). The music is diverse. But it doesn't seem to draw from before the late 80's musically. Bloc Party has ate the best music from the 80's and 90's and coughed it back up in a new millenium form. The "who's-who" of British Indie rock. They sound both retro and highly modern all over the place. Very cool. Very upbeat. Fast. Unpredictable. Nice harmonies. Pretty slow songs. Distorted quick psychedelic uptempo songs. If a band is only as good as their drummer, this band is GOOD. Non-stop breakbeat and uptempo drumming leads the way for angular radiohead type guitar, followed by a typical proto-reggae upstroke popular with today's garage rock bands (or "grit rock" as my bud jf says). As their 1st and only album (they did allow a techno remix album by other artists) this one kicks ass! They said that they love the electronic music scene so they let dj's remix this album. But it's SOOOOO techno! And techno is the least creative of electronic music in my mind. Tell that to most of the rest of the world though (techno is huge everywhere but the US). But I like their ideas. They should have gotten Amon Tobin, DJ Shadow, Automator, Squarepusher, Prefuse 73, DJ Spooky, and the likes, to remix it though. A truly original band. Whoever they are influenced by, they break it up enough where it's all theirs' now. One lyric has been stuck in my head since I first deciphered it, "I drink myself by eating glass". As an artist myself, this lines speaks to me for some reason. Think about it. There's 14 songs on the album and so far I really like about 12 of them so I highly recommend this album to anyone who likes rock from the last 10 years. 5 out of 5 thumbs.

Bloc Party's Website

Posted by JJ at 10:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm sorry I didn't rap about this sooner. This album has kicked it ever since I heard it back in '99. Q-Tip is a master MC from A Tribe Called Quest. This sparks his first solo album. I have been awaiting his next since Andre put out "A Love Below". Q-Tip has it all going for his first debut. As a group artist his resume is intact! This album just popped up on my iPod and I could just kick any party with it right now. On this album he cuts his own groove in the vinyl of life. Every track is a club anthem, but it's also really jammin' if u r just chillin'. One of my top 10 favorite Hip Hop Albums. Q-Tip really creates a great solo debut! It has attracted the likes of Nicole Kidman to him, so it's all really good! But it if u have ever like hip hop or if u have ever liked 1 hit wonders! 5 out of 5 thumbs

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

I saw the Queens at the last Lollapallooza when they were on tour for the "Songs for the Deaf" album. I was a huge fan and they rocked live. Hard. Full of energy. Fast. Intense. This new DVD captures the best of these guys. They fly through their hits with a balls-out momentum. Heavy metal fugues. Tight band interplay. When I saw them live they still had their original bassist Nick Oliveri who was an incredible punk and metal screamer. Literally screaming at the top of his lungs! They still have all that energy in this new live DVD but lack the primal screaming of the band's last lineup. Nonetheless, this performance captures them at their peak. As far as this DVD being a good show....it is one of their best. The current band lineup is: Joshua Homme (vocals, guitar); Alain Johannes, Troy Van Leeuwen (guitar, bass instrument); Natasha Shneider (keyboards); Joey Castillo (drums). Very tight session musicians from what I can tell. They "go off" quite a bit and it is usually fast and extremely head-bang-able. As a hard rock fan, this show kicked my ass (in a good way naturally). My favorite songs off of it so far are the crazy "You Can't Quit Me Baby" and " I Wanna Make It Wit Chu". Jams. The DVD also has phenomenal bonus materials. They include a few live songs from every album period they have done. Mostly badly recorded but still good cuts of them. The "Songs for the Deaf" era extras actual have Dave Grohl on drums live (something I regret seeing live). The "Lullabies" album extra has some good cuts with Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top and the always classy Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees). Well worth whatever they charge, this DVD is a must for Queen's fans for all of the extras and a full length show (which is recorded and taped very well). 5 out of 5 thumbs and eyes.

Posted by JJ at 9:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This band rocks. Secret Machines consists of Josh Garza, Brandon Curtis, Benjamin Curtis. A power trio. Drums, bass, and guitar/keyboard/sequencers/effects. Drums like Zeppelin's Bonham or Pink Floyd's Nick Mason. A fuzzy "on-the one" bass player reminiscent of both Pink Floyd's Roger Waters or Radiohead's Colin Greenwood. Guitars like Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi and AC/DC's Angus Young. Vocals like every English shoegazer 90's band. Don't get me wrong, I like the vocals because I like that genre too. The Machines also use the wall of sound guitar and synth effects that My Bloody Valentine used to do. This 9 song debut album was one of THE best albums of 2004. Really hard driving songs but a laid back rock attitude like Tom Petty meets The Strokes meets Pink Floyd in 1972. A few really beautiful slow songs. Keyboard sequences much like a 1970's Who on "Sad & Lonely". This band seems like a who's-who of English rock history. But they are from Dallas Texas. They rock though. They've done their homework. I guess being Texans they probably have more ZZ in them than Bowie. Bowie actually said they are one of his current favorite bands real recently. As a debut album, this new album is great. If they suck from here on out, this album is their best already. 5 out of 5 thumbs

The Secret Machines' Website

Posted by JJ at 6:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I was so happy to see iTunes had Naked Raygun's whole musical catalogue! I thought they were as obscure as possible outside of Chicago (even inside Chicago too!). As an original punk back when I was in high school, I loved this band. I probably saw them 10-12 times live and met all of them over the years. They are from Chicago like myself. They are the best punk/emo band ever to come out of Chicago and are a big part of my musical story. The Pixies of Chicago in terms of their originality and non-conventional songwriting style. Big Black was THE punk band before them in Chicago but I was never big into them. Steve Albini (Big Black) was working the Chicago punk scene back then but it wasn't until he recorded people like Nirvana and the Pixies did he show the genius he was. Chicago was then stagnant until the Smashing Pumpkins (with Butch Vig's help) blew the world away. The guitarist from Raygun (John Haggerty) enticed me soooo much with his guitar playing that I had to go out and learn how to play guitar. This is a decision the eventually caused me to dedicate my whole life to music. Never regretted it. From Haggerty I moved on to Jimmy Page and the rest is history. Quite a tangent. Naked Raygun was Jeff Pezzati (singer), John Haggerty (guitar), Eric Spicer (drums), and Pierre Kedzy (bass). This changed a bit at the end but I loved them for their 1st 4 albums (Throb Throb, All Rise, Jettison, Understand). If you like punk or emo nowadays, please check out those 4 albums. Very unique and creative for a punk band in the 80's. One of my top 5 favorite bands because they started it all for me.

5 out of 5 thumbs

Posted by JJ at 3:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I can't possibly order these, except for the top two (those are bits of heaven). Everyone one of these is genius to me. I never get bored with any of these albums. These are my desert island discs (if I was stuck on an island with only 10 albums). Believe me, if there is ever an apocalypse, if you run into me I will still have these albums with me. As a DJ, a musician and a addict/lover of music though, I need my record crate not just 10 of them (I'll limit myself to 44).

1) Bitches Brew - Miles Davis
2) Kind of Blue - Miles Davis
3) Electric Ladyland - Jimi Hendrix
4) Caravanserai - Carlos Santana
5) Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd
6) The Downward Spiral - Nine Inch Nails
7) Dubtometry - DJ Spooky
8) Solid Steel Presents Amon Tobin Live - Amon Tobin
9) Siamese Dream - The Smashing Pumpkins
10) What's Going On - Marvin Gaye
11) Kid A - Radiohead
12) A Love Supreme - John Coltrane
13) The Carnival - Wyclef Jean
14) Tales from the Punchbowl - Primus
15) Buena Vista Social Club - Buena Vista Social Club
16) Hello Nasty - The Beastie Boys
17) Nothing's Shocking - Jane's Addiction
18) Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots - The Flaming Lips
19) Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By - Lovage
20) Appetite for Destruction - Guns and Roses
21) Superfly Soundtrack - Curtis Mayfield
22) Sticky Fingers - The Rolling Stones
23) Abbey Road - The Beatles
24) Never Mind the Bullocks.... - The Sex Pistols
25) Jettison - Naked Raygun
26) Deloused in a Comatorium - The Mars Volta
27) Standards - Tortoise
28) Live at the Roxy - Bob Marley and the Wailers
29) Homogenic - Bjork
30) Apocalypse - The Mahavishnu Orchestra
31) The Score - The Fugees
32) A Low End Theory - A Tribe called Quest
33) Achtung Baby - U2
34) Sun Godess - Ramsey Lewis
35) Live Dead - The Grateful Dead
36) Dub Transmission Specialists - Sly & Robbie
37) 40 oz to Freedom - Sublime
38) The New Sound of the Venezuelan Gozadera - Los Amigos Invisibles
39) Spaces - Larry Coryell
40) Shakti - Shakti
41) The Blue Album - Weezer
42) Loveless - My Bloody Valentine
43) Aquemini - Outkast
44) Innervisions - Stevie Wonder

Here is My ITune IMix for your pleasure!!! Satisfaction guaranteed!!!

Posted by JJ at 3:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

These are my favorite albums I bought this year. The order is only estimated.

1) "Frances the Mute" - The Mars Volta
2) "The Best Little Secrets are Kept" - Louis XIV
3) "Drums of Death" - DJ Spooky vs Dave Lombardo
4) "Demon Days" - Gorillaz
5) "All We Must" - Jaga Jazzist
6) "Late Registration" - Kanye West
7) "With Teeth" - Nine Inch Nails
8) "Silent Alarm" - Bloc Party
9) "Guero" - Beck
10) "Lullabies to Paralyze" - The Queens of the Stone Age
11) "Get Behind Me Satan" - The White Stripes
12) "Chaos Theory" - Amon Tobin
13) "A Time to Love" - Stevie Wonder
14) "X & Y" - Coldplay

Posted by JJ at 2:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This CD "Absolution" really showed me a trio could do Radiohead. This 3 piece band really kicks ass! They get real heavy and then real soft and then creep u out. Radiohead meets the US in an Indie band for the 1st time. Check out the songs: Hysteria, Time is running out, The Small Print, and Stockholme Syndrome. When I hear them just chillin' out I picture a much bigger band, but it's only three guys. A bit harder than Radiohead typically. From California I believe. It's either piano/guitar, bass, and drums. Good hard indie rock. 4 out of 5 thumbs.

Muse's Website

Posted by JJ at 12:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Now if I just threw this disc in for any hardcore dub reggae fan and asked who it is....the answers could range from sly and robbie, to sublime, to scientist, to lee scratch perry, to king tubby. But the answer would be....something newer. When I was a punk in high school (ahhh the memories) I loved Bad Brains because of their hard hard hardcore punk side. The genius dub reggae they would pull off after about 6 punk songs in 4 minutes would just leave me wondering....what the hell as they would kick into reggae. It seems a total contrast to do both styles in any event, and it is. As an obvious influence to a band like sublime merging punk and reggae, Bad Brains really kickass with this recent (2002) all dub reggae release. As psychedelic as any classic dub reggae recording this one really does it well. With Dr. Know on guitar, Darryl Jenifer on bass, and Earl Hudson on drums, I wonder who took the time to do the dub reggae recording. Dr. Know and Darryl would be the answer. Dub reggae recording is hard, if not the hardest form of recording to master. Predating DJ's, the original dub reggae engineers would make 3D surround sound with all but the crappiest recorded tracks and equipment (for the time). This record "I & I Survived (Dub)" is well worth the money if you are a fan of the genre like myself.

5 out of 5 Thumbs

Bad Brain's Website

Posted by JJ at 4:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This is a great album by a band from norway called jaga jazzist. they r on the ninjatune label (UK) which mainly signs electronic artists. i didn't understand why the label (the label i personally prefer best right now) would sign a 10 piece fusion band from norway until i saw them live. truly another place. they have a LOT of energy, horns, drums, keys, bass, guitar, ( i even saw a tambourine played by the tuba player during breaks), sequencing, and recording skills. they r truly unique and worth seeing. this album has only 7 cuts but most of them are long. they have their sound, but continue to try new orchestrations. if u go 2 fabchannel.com, they have live video streams of them playing in amsterdam (nice!). some songs on the new album have slow starts, but big changes later on. give em chance before switchin songs. this is also very superbly recorded. reminds of soma studios in chicago and tortoise. the tortoise similarities drive me nuts, cuz i like both bands, but i dont know who heard who first. i got an extra sydeberg demo session cd with my album and it has some different versions of album tracks (less produced) and a few other cool songs. these guys r one of a kind and are movie music without even knowing it. check em out on this new album or live! 5 out of 5 thumbs

Jaga Jazzist's Website

Posted by JJ at 3:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

this guy is just a genius. i'm glad i get to see him live in 2 weeks. this album is tight! i've been a fan since mellow gold and he's always been trying something new on his albums, mostly concept albums. with the help of the dust brothers (and jack white for 1 song "go it alone", jack white on bass, thank god!) beck put out a current sounding electronic groove album with much more ferocity than SEA CHANGE. his last album was awesome, but it was what he said it was, an album people could fall asleep to (cuz he said he never had that mellow of an album). anyways, "Guero" has many badass songs, basslines, vocal melodies, and comical lines. some songs r a bit 2 slow for me sometimes, but i think if i was tring to sleep, they'd rock. check out tracks "earthquake weather, missing, go it alone, send a message to her, clap hands, etc". i heard the automator was working on this album but was saddeningly misinformed. hopefully he was hangin' out with him though! it is an upbeat album that has many phenomenal beats (thanks dust bros) and catchy funky songs. beck said he was hangin out with will ferrell and jack black when the album came out. tell me he ain't livin it? 5 out of 5 thumbs

Beck's Website

Posted by JJ at 3:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

mark is a groovin ass dj from chicago who moved to san fran to get into the dj scene there many years ago. he has the most groovin hip hop, funk, and r&b drum beats that can move the floor, a bass that is subsonic and moves from jazz to funk to dub, and horn/keyboard/vocal samples (mostly from jazz). with those elements he blends one non-stop mix on the mushroom jazz series. if u r a fan of funk, hip hop, acid jazz, or anything groovin, he's got the vibe for u. signed to OM records he tours the world playing his "thing". it took me a bit to get used to the simplicity of his style, but he can play if he was at your party. Check out some of his "Mushroom Jazz" CD's. 5 out of 5 thumbs

DJ Mark Farina

Posted by JJ at 3:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

when he was done talking about his biscuit, jack white strolled the stage like an old blues musician. this guy is another genius. jack is a great songwriter who can get across rock pomposity or folk music with true authenticity. with only a drummer to back his guitar, vocals, piano, or marimba,,, he makes the most out of very fundamental musical elements. i saw him at an opera house in chicago (last week) and he looked like some mexican mariachi musician, but they had TOTAL control over the house. this new album is about 50/50 a) slow songs with marimba or country tinges and b) hard rockin bluesy stripes. i still prefer elephant to this, but live these 2 rocked........hard! i saw them last new years live (w/ the flaming lips) and they sounded 20x better last week. they had better lights, backdrop, and song arrangement (a non-stop mix of songs, jack never lets it get silent for much applause). i say check em out live and buy elephant (their last album). 4 out of 5 thumbs

The White Stripes' Website

Posted by JJ at 3:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

You can tell the boys have been listening to all the 80's nostalgia music that the rest of today's bands are gobbling up too. They out-did themselves on this album though. If you like their sound, they produced this album far better than their last. By adding multiple vocalists, organs, harmonica, and keyboard sounds, they create a much more diverse and complex album than anything previous. i did notice a new trend in that a bunch of new songs start really quietly and slowly get to a slightly more busy sound. My only knock is that they have really slow starts that don't pump people up to wait 2 minutes to then wake up to whatever they switch to. it's been a hard album to DJ songs off of becuz they all have these slow parts that would just kill a party (unless there were just tons of yuppie girls there). trax to check out: square one, fix you, a message, low, and the last "bonus" song. i like these guys and i thought this was another "good" one. There are a few songs just too slow (when i'm dancing) so i have to skip by them, but most of their albums have these songs too (good for falling asleep or snuggling). I give this album 4 out of 5 thumbs. It lacks the crazy-ass jass fusion i like to get in order to earn a 5th thumb!

Coldplay's Website

Posted by JJ at 3:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I recently read Carlos Santana say that back then (in 1966) he listened to this album 24/7. i thought hmmmm? He said he's pretty much listened to it like that even now! i can tell why. it is one of "THE" critical blues albums that the whole psychedelic rock revolution would absorb. the whole band is ridiculously tight and groovin'. u can hear how everyone from the dead to the stones to hendrix to santana has heard mike bloomfield play guitar on this one. check out trax: get out of my life woman, mary/mary, and east/west. the track east/west is a huge psychedelic masterpiece. it has the indian drones and fusion sounds that would hugely influence that san francisco scene at haight ashbury. mike blookfield died an early death in the years that preceded and like hendrix, left people wondering what he could have done if he didn't die. this album will now be played as long as i live. truly a gem from the past. 5 out of 5 thumbs. check bloomfield out on the Bloomfield - Kooper - Stills Supersession too!

The Paul Butterfield Blues Band

Posted by JJ at 3:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

kid koala is a virtuoso. i've seen him twice live, and he is one of the few DJ's u need to catch live to see his skills. i saw him in chicago dj'n off of three turntables the way mixmaster mike uses 2 (very intensely)! he is fast! he even mixed that old ass song blue moon into 7 nation army when i saw him live. his choice of samples to create his music from are as unique and eclectic as him. he mighta been the nerd in high school that was always practing music, but u can see he wasn't just goofin' around now. this live show has 3 songs from his last album and 2 cinematic pieces of his music for his graphic novel he made. he has fellow ninjatune dj p-love and dj jester assisting him with scratches. jester also earlier played the greatest 80's mix i have ever heard plus he mixed 50 cent with bluegrass music. fo shizzle. kid plays plays his songs on 6 turntables live and the DVD is great in letting us see that. NO ONE has wrote songs for 6 turntables yet in music history! the kid even plays keyboard on a few (his original training). check out this dvd. 5 out of 5 thumbs

Kid Koala's Website

Posted by JJ at 3:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

charlie hunter is a virtuoso! u gotta see this. i saw him live once. as a guitarist for 12 years then, i thought i could understand how he played when i saw his hands, i was wrong. and he didn't allow smoking in a rock club that notoriusly has a smokey haze and no ventilation (double door chicago). charlie has a mutant hybrid axe that has the top 3 bass strings and bottom 5 guitar strings. if u close your eyes u would hear a badass bassist playing with wes montgomery. check out the track "oakland". a few tracks on the dvd have him by himself and he can mesmerize any crowd by himself (the definition of a virtuoso in my book). the rest of his band sounds like a cross between an acid jazz band and dr dre's studio musicians. check out his album "pound for pound"(5 out of 5 thumbs) for the ultimate seat chair experience. 5 out of 5 thumbs.

Charlie Hunter's Website

Posted by JJ at 3:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

in my opinion dj spooky is the most eclectic dj i have ever heard. he fuses every possibly sound from life and from the future into a musical hip hop/dub fusion. a sound that new york called illbient a few years ago. check out spooky's album "dubtometry" (5 out of 5 thumbs) for the full experience! as an expert sound digger, spooky drew together slayer's drummer dave lombardo, living colour/yohimbe brothers guitarist vernon reid, meat beat manifesto's bassist/producer jack dangers, and public enemy's chuck d for this new album. it is a mix of futuristic dub reggae, alien speed metal, massively effected guitar solos, and public enemy remixes. well recorded like most spooky records, this album is a delight for both metal and electronica fans. check out trax: metatron, b-side wins again, terra nullious, and obscure disorder. spooky also wrote a very very deep philosphy book recently "rhythm science". i have a philosophy degree and love the shit. i figured he was writing a history of music in common terms but he really wrote a ridiculously complicated analysis of the history of technology, society, and of the way our minds work with modern society and music. for me it was a great read, but i dont recommend it unless u r into reading serious philosophy like kant or leibnitz. this new album is 5 out of 5 thumbs

DJ Spooky's Website

Posted by JJ at 3:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

this album is a few years old but remains one of my personal favorites and it is a gem that needs to be advertised to everyone. droid consists of a drummer, a bassist, and trumpet player, and someone else doing synth sounds. they sound like miles davis' bitches brew (my favorite album of all time) but done drum n bass style, somewhere in space 300 years from now! if u like fast music, these guys r the greatest album u have never heard. the drummer also plays (from what it sounds) many oddly composed pieces of metals, tubes, and bells at points. they sound like music from the future. totally original and intense. 5 out of 5 thumbs + a slap in the face!

Droid's NYC DNB Album

Posted by JJ at 3:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

after their last album "songs for the deaf" (5 thumbs) with dave grohl on drums came out, i didn't think QOTSA could ever follow it up without dave grohl. i was wrong. Josh Homme (voice, guitar, 1 man band) has an incredible sense of melody and love for intense and bluesy hard rock. this new album has many great head bangin' gritty guitar riffs and caveman drum poundings. i do miss the bass player's insane scream and song-writing style (he was kicked out of the band for drug problems). never quite understood drugged out stoner bands that kicked out druggies for being druggies (dicket betts being kicked out of the allman brothers for drinking for example). with his mystery guitar rig and brothers grimm lyrics in hand, josh single handedly made another badass QOTSA album with his connections. guests ranging from mark lanegan (screaming trees, qotsa), shirley manson (garbage), and billy gibbons (ZZ top) appear here. will ferrell even brought back his blue oyster cult cowbell skit (on "little sister")when QOTSA played SNL last (must see). trax to check out: medication, everybody knows that you are insane, burn the witch, little sister, i never came, someone's in the wolf. this album is great for a party of hard rock fans. 5 out of 5 thumbs.

Queens of the Stone Age's Website

Posted by JJ at 3:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I was listening to Pigface (check out the song "Suck"off of "Gub", 5 thumbs) when Trent Reznor appeared on the scene for me in 1990. "Pretty Hate Machine" and the first lollapallooza tour set him up from then on. he knew how to make such sensitive and beautifully feminine quiet stuff but also scream his head off with the most heavily distorted music behing him. plus he was always on the cutting edge of electronic recording. I didn't think he'd ever follow up "the downward spiral" album. 5 thumbs. on this new album trent asked dave grohl to help him out. there is no one that has ever not been rewarded for working with dave grohl. i could start a whole other blog on him! dave has a great passion and knowledge about what is good about music and beating the shit out of a drum set. anyways, dave plays drums on most of the albums' trax. this album really brings me full circle with my admiration of this band. trent still has "it". the album is brilliantly recorded in 5.1 surround. it has beautifully mellow slow electronic songs, heavy slow songs, and mosh pit madness trax with dave grohl. check out trax: all the love in the world, you know what you are, the collector, with teeth, only (i love spinning this track, possibly his most dance-y ever). dave just played "hurt" for the new orleans relief effort and rocked! pick this up if u ever liked these guys. 5 out of 5 thumbs

Nine Inch Nails' Webite

Posted by JJ at 3:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

amon tobin is a genius. i've told this to everyone i know (and they'll vouch for that!). he is a dj who creates his own unique world through cutting up the history of music and using Final Scratch software, a laptop, and 2 turntables to tear the world a new "A". most of his sound is rooted in brazilian and jazz samples but he makes music fitting of the world 700 years in the future. he has drum fills that will make your legs weak. i feel that music 10 generations from now will all sound like him. i still resent that george lucas didn't use him to score star wars instead of john williams (i hope we r not just listening to classical music when i can fly a space ship in hyperspace). this new album is the soundtrack for tom clancy's splinter cell chaos theory video game. i'm glad someone reckognizes his gift for this application. for this album amon taped a live band he hand-picked and had them play god knows what. he then mixed it up to sound like an alien jazz band that in no way resembles what was originally played by the band. this is a good album to drive your car fast too (well, not with gas prices this high, ride your bike fast to it!). one of my top 10 favorite albums is his "solid steel presents amon tobin live". i recommend picking that up first, then chaos theory, then everything else he's done (even when he was cujo), and then see him live. 5 out of 5 thumbs

Amon Tobin's Website

Posted by JJ at 3:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

these guys became my favorite new band the second i heard them. i have previously said that i really like jazz fusion, this album is that crossed with fugazi and led zeppelin. i was able to see them live this year and they really rocked out, in both a hard rock and in a latin way. as a HUGE zeppelin fan, that's all i could think of when i heard and saw them. they had such intense grooves that were more "dazed and confused" then something the dead would do. they do seem to party hard, and jam even harder. this new album is about 6 songs long, 4 of which are really long (10-30 minutes each). their songs definitely are orchestrated fugues that have as many as 6 different sections to each song. i really like how their singer cedric is trying new things vocally that the american idol scene has no clue about. throw in that he does that roger daltrey mic swinging and he's the man! the guitarist omar really is good at writing music for 6 other guys that can also play. they r truly unique and innovative. cedric and omar are 2 american puerto ricans from el paso. their bassist is a mexican american who used to be in racer x. the guitarist's brother plays saxaphone and flute. there is another guy playing latin percussion. ikey is on keys. together they fuse 70's hard rock, punk, cuban grooves, 70's jazz fusion, a little dub reggae, and funkadelic. the reason i like these guys so much, is becuz i hear about 200 different obscure bands influences in this new music. everything from jefferson airplane to the doors to sly and robbie to mr bungle and led zeppelin. check out the track "l' via l' viaquez" for their buena vista social club like jamming. throw in flea and john frusciante (both on the album) and they got a party. i have been obsessed with this band since i first heard them, and continue to not get tired of them. i heavily recommend seeing them live if they headline. 5 out of 5 thumbs

The Mars Volta's Website

Posted by JJ at 3:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

how can i not mention common being a chicago resident? i can't. i followed common since he actually lived here (hehehe, some people here diss him since he moved to NYC when he "made it"). he started off with some great hip hop albums can i borrow a dollar, resurrection) that were a mash of east coast (tribe, fugees, roots, BIG) and west coast (dre, nwa, snoop). but with his watershed album "like water for chocolate" he moved into his kickin' neo-soul neo-futuristic sound. he followed it up with what sounds like his "drug" album, electric circus. definitely his weirdest, but not jazz fusion-y enough for my weird tastes. this leads us to "Be". he hooked up with another chi-town native kanye west (if u haven't heard of him, u must be stuck in the mountains) and kanye worked his magic. this album is common in prime form. great lyrics, great mixing of old school and new school beats, add in a little chapelle and bilal, and u got a great album. check out trax: the corner (that's the club song!), faithful, testify, the food, chi-city. for where hip-hop is in 2005, this guy is still great. 5 out of 5 thumbs.

Common's Website

Posted by JJ at 3:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

these guys r magical. with the recent passing of ibrahim ferrer and compay segundo, we were just given enough time to appreciate these legends. if you haven't seen the movie "buena vista social club" by ry cooder, u should. it shows how all of these musicians (many 70-80 years old) rock much more than most young musicians today. i have DJ'd these guys to every type of crowd and their beats can get people movin. the people that know them love that i play em, the people that don't know em, quickly ask me who they are. layers of incredible percussion (afro-cuban), guitars, tres, horns, and with ry electric guitar. they were supposedly "the shit" in cuba (1930's-40's) before castro made them stop playing. they didn't play at all for about 40-50 years there. ry cooder wondered if there were any of them left alive, and he found all of them in top form, not playing music. the result of putting them back together was magical. like the music is in their veins. the band has put out about 6 new cd's over the past 5 years, all of them worth purchasing. their first cd "back" would be a good place to start. they back their different singers on different albums. their female singer omara portuondo is like a cuban nina simone crossed with celia cruz. check them out. 5 out of 5 thumbs for it all!

Buena Vista Social Club

Posted by JJ at 3:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

i've missed reviewing these guys previous albums but i'll make up for it, buy them all! they r my personal favorite hip-hop group. bigboi and andre 3000 are 2 of the most unique, creative, and cutting edge dudes on the planets. so fresh and so clean. every album progresses and gets better by the next. their first album "southernplayalisticadillacmusic" established them as a band influenced by west coast funky beats and the funkadelic connection itself. the band strives for a different funky beat on everything. they both rap but have different styles (see the most recent album " a love below/speakerboxx" for proof). their second album "ATLiens" moved them into a more neo-soul sound and less atlanta-ien. their third album "aquemini" (5 thumbs) showed how diverse they could be with both dj's and a live funk band. next was "stankonia". as good as aquemini (5 thumbs). then the new one which was one one cd done by each rapper separately. the fans (myself included) were taken back when this came out. Speakerboxx & A Love Below. each cd didn't really sound like outkast. they both took a different direction. but after about a month everybody realized, they still kickass. andre chose not to rap, to play more instruments, and go electronic. bigboi got more "crunk" and also had an old school "dusty " sound. in short, outkast determines what is "fresh" for me in hip-hop. i know they do not ever try and repeat what they have done, and they definitely seem to have more ideas than they could possibly put out. check em out, whichever album u don't own, buy. 5 out of 5 thumbs

OutKast's Website

Posted by JJ at 3:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

mos is a genious. it's becoming more obvious every day. actor, poet, rapper, musician. this new album is GOOOOOOD. i like that mos didn't just crank out albums. he definitely wants to make good ones, and not just make some money quick (well, he has been making alot of money in other ways in his time "off"). his last album "black on both sides" is one of the 10 best hip hop albums ever (5 out of 5 thumbs). i've been waitin awhile for his 2nd. this album is even more diverse. he has his hardcore rock band black jack johnson backing him on his live band trax. check out trax: ghetto rock, zimzallabim, blue black jack, sex love and money, sunshine, and close edge. the album moves from hard rock, to blues, to hip hop, to neo-soul. plenty of variety plus an unmatched vocal flow. 5 out of 5 thumbs

Mos Def's Website

Posted by JJ at 3:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

first of all, this band rocks. like a cross between the stones, the beatles, and david bowie, this california group may fool u into thinking they are an english blues rock band from the 1970's. they range from bar room drinking rock to rockin bedroom music (if u pay attention to the lyrics, you'll quickly see why) to 1970's rock music with orchestras. they sound like the real macho classic rock i've always loved, but they aren't classic. they r some young guys. since i've really gotten into their new and only album, i have to see them live. they sound like they are made to play these songs live. check out trax: paper doll, pledge of allegiance, and especially "ball of twine" (this shows off their depth). it does have brief moments of utter complexity, but most of all its down and dirty rock! 5 out of 5 thumbs

Louis XIV's Website

Posted by JJ at 3:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

ben gibbard is a genius. ever since "the postal service" came out, i knew this guy could write songs. i figured this new album would continue on where "transatlanticism" left off, but it didn't. plans is one part postal service to one part death cab to one part something like king crimson. this guy is THE classic singer-songwriter but he can also work with electronics. he is like a male bjork this album is a great chillin' record. it's not dance-y enough for the club, but great for the couch crowd. 4 out of 5 thumbs

Death Cabe for Cutie's Website

Posted by JJ at 3:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

this band is on the cutting edge of everything. the most outstanding musicianship and production i have heard in the past 5 years. wayne is a genious and a virtuoso. check out their film "the fearless freaks" for just a glimpse! their album "yoshimi battles the pink robots" is one of my top 10 albums. it shows IT all off! they have evolved by each album and are now perfect. beautifully written electronic landscapes and lyrics. i thought i could never get past wayne's nasally voice, but dammmit....he's a badass songwriter. they can all play their asses off but use it minimally to kick all our asses when we think they are being mellow. check em out. all of it. and live....wow. these guys r the most psychedelic band to see live, no contest. they r THE greatest band since Pink Floyd in this genre. they live to play live and you'll see if u go and have 2 or 3 Chimay's. 5 out of 5 thumbs as a band.

The Flaming Lip's Website

Posted by JJ at 3:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It took me too long not to review this new york band. i received their album "is this it" by accident in the mail about 2 years ago. i didn't listen to it until about 2 months ago. after hearing "last nite" ad nauseum, i thought i had heard all this band had. this is the catchiest modern rock band that i have heard in a long time. everytime my ipod would shuffle em, i thought it was franz ferdinand (also badass! check out "michael", 5 thumbs). this album is genius pop. they r definitely like a modern velvet underground without the long heroin violin jams. a little bit radiohead, some pixies, and some bitchin' 70's rock. their newer album "room on fire" has all the classic sounds from "is this it". a little more pronounced guitar and keys than on the last album. catchy as shit though. i never used to like pop, but these guys are doing something different. lou reed's influence is hard to ignore, but their are many other indie bands in these guys sound. check out trax: the modern age, soma, alone together, take it or leave it. check out "is this it" first, and really let it soak in. 5 out of 5 thumbs for "is this it".


The Strokes' Website

Posted by JJ at 3:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

well, i'm sorry it took me this long to talk about this band. they are probably my 2nd favorite hip hop band ever (outkast, u still got it!). wyclef jean (genius), lauryn hill (genious, marley family now), and pras (producer extraordinare and john forte accomplice). they only did the bootleg album and the score and blunted on reality (early OG NYC hiphop). and they rock. 3 massively different yet talented mc's and wyclef also is hookin up music that the hip hop world barely touches now. wyclef went on to do the carnival, probably my 3rd favorite hip hop album ever with the refugee camp. wyclef may not be the next jimi hendrix, but he is hip hop's paul mccartney. this album has it all. the fugees have it all. like sublime, this band has a ridiculously intimate perspective on modern reggae. they know music soooooo well, and they can rock out the party. lauryn hill's "miseducation" album has set her up for life, it's that good! pras has produced and acted to some success. he still rocks to me though, becuz of that deep MC voice he has that alot of today's mc's have still not imitated with such smoothness. wyclef has never stopped making music, but now it lacks the emotion of "the carnival". lauryn cranked out a handfull of marley babies (w stephen, a damn talented marley) and did her acoustic album. where it showed she is now a good guitarist, it was too introspective for us fans. sad, disillusioned and uncertain, it was only a 3-4 thumb album. i am still awaiting her follow up to the "miseducation" album, supposedly produced by kanye west. and now i hear the fugees are re-uniting. they never over did what they did, so i think they can still put out a badass album, but i hope it is true, not a rumor. 5 out of 5 thumbs for "the score", "the carnival", and "the bootleg album".

The Fugees' Unnofficial Website....they just gotta come up with something better...

Posted by JJ at 3:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

these guys are one of the best cutting edge bands! they fused (yes, fusing!) rock, punk, reggae, ska, hip hop, and god knows everything else that kicks ass. yes they were on drugs, and yes the lead singer died of a heroin overdose (kurt cobain wasn't the only genious to die in the 90's (shannon hoon of blind melon too, dammit)). brad nowell sung, in sublime, like a man inspired to change the world. he poured his heart into singing like nobody else as personally to me (well, robert plant should wonder why i said this). brad also did a cd of himself live, by himself, where he rocks, but the bar sounds too happening in the background. they embody all of the hardcore punk i grew up on (bad brains, fugazi, dead kennedys, etc) and more-so all the badass reggae i have ever heard. i don't seriously know how these 3 guys from long beach cali learned reggae so well. they knew marley and sly and robbie better than any band could covering them for 100 years. genious. they only put out 3 albums, one posthumously, and they all are worth buying. 40 oz to freedom, sublime, and second hand smoke. they also have a bootleg album that is recorded live, stand by your van, that really captures their sound (badass live recording) and their personalities. i would start out with this live album first, move onto 40 oz's, then buy their last album "sublime". buy everything they've ever did. it rocks EVERY time i DJ and wherever i go. they are true party music. 5 out of 5 thumbs.

Sublime's Unofficial Website

Posted by JJ at 3:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

i really like these guys even though most people rebuke me about it. they are a couple parts rush, iron maiden, metallica, incubus, and mars volta. they have a puerto rican singer (claudio sanchez) who is part of a white hard rock band. he gives them something real unique in his singing prescence. when i saw them live, he could easily, easily, hold his own by himself onstage (my ultimate test of virtousity). when i saw them live at the metro in chicago they rocked. they did an acoustic set and an electric set (complete with jimmy page double-neck electric guitar and smoke). they are quirky enough to keep me interested and the emo singing holds me to the progressions which are all over (in a good way). a little bit symphonic early on in the new album . their last album was way cool in a sci-fi way "In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth 3". this new album is tight too. the guitar work is great. the rhythm can hold its' own. i'd like to see them tour with louis XIV. pick up both the last and new album. 5 out 5 thumbs.

Coheed's Website

Posted by JJ at 3:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

i thought they couldn't do it without the automator, but they did. damon albarn (from blur) reorganized this band as his new blur. since they broke up, he realized this band was "it". he -recruited dangermouse from the "grey album" (5 out of 5 thumbs), and the verve's guitarist simon (also heavily psychedelic and unemployed). he dropped the automator, kid koala, and del tha funky homosapien, but he still did it. damon rocks in tha tru english sense of it. it has that huge 80's vibe that is huge in american music but they r using it in a way none of these modern retro 80's bands r doing it. they have roots manuva offa ninjatune on a track and he's tight as always. MF Doom is also on a track, and he is a better mc than anyone right now, after his Madvillain days. they r still as hip as can be. if u see them live u usually see a band playing behind a screen with video images played on the screen. i recommend finding an internet live show of them to watch instead of paying to watch computer images. buy their 1st album w koala and dan, then the new one. both rock in a futuristic way. also check out the automator's disc with del and koala and damon if u want tru futuristic called "Deltron 3030". everything they do is really modern to the point where u don't know how modern it is. 5 out of 5 thumbs for all of it on disc.

Gorillaz's Website

Posted by JJ at 3:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

u know, after common, and after his hurricane relief song, i finally gave kanye a chance. this new album is really good! his mc'n skills have gotten real tight (1 of my previous complaints) and his production skills (nice variety of samples) have really gotten better. a lot of cameos, but it is so well produced that it just rocks! good for a chi-town native like me. he has THE hottest "touch" right now (automator take that!). he has a great influence from all of music. he is a hawk for sounds like dre used to be. it's one of those well sampled albums. for a club, this will hit it. this album has rocked for everyone i've played it for. check this one out. he only has one more album so it doesn't take much to catch up. he has produced common's tightass new album recently. 5 out of 5 thumbs.

Kanye's Website

Posted by JJ at 3:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

dave grohl is a genius! in the ROCK world, kanye ain't got a finger on dave. that's good though, that today there is still diversity in top notch producers. dave enjoyed a stint in a band called nirvana (add your own review here), then queens of the stone age (songs for the deaf is one of my FAVORITE hard rock albums....genius), then probot, then nine inch nails (trent is also the man). everything he touches is gold. this new album included. he tried something different. an electric stadium rock disc and an acoustic "chick" album. and he can do it. their drummer, fresh out of a heroin stint can barely touch grohl in drumming. but dave controls everything and THAT, he can do. a well balanced album, but the acoustic disc doesn't hit me when i party but....i don't think that's what he had intended. It's either for the ladies or the gay guys. the first electric disc is hard rock though! as tight as he's gotten his sound since the early foo days. check it out. 5 out of 5 thumbs.

Foo Fighter's Website

Posted by JJ at 3:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

well, i had high expectations from these scottish lads since their last album came out. what i really wanted, since i first heard them, was MORE! and that's what i got. but it's as good as their first album. it is a bit more evolved. i can't ignore the beatles i hear in them or in when i see them live anymore. its up front. and since my dad is from scotland, they are a personal fav. there hasn't been a band this big in glasgow since the average white band in the 70's. my favorite song on their last album was michael. it was fast, aggresive and driving. but there were only a few songs on their last album like that (although the rest groove in a more mellow way). this whole new album is upbeat, except for 2 slow brilliant songs. one slow song is written for his girlfriend (eleanor put your boots on)in unabashed dialogue with a beatles feel. not many artists write so directly to people they are dating currently in their songs, and by name. usually it's just a generic reference to a girl they are inspired by. kind of suprised me. the other slow song (fade together)at the end of the album is simply about how much they have improved. that song is phenomenal. they said they were thinking alot about led zeppelin when they were writing and recording. this got me pumped up. but they weren't thinking zeppelin like i was. they did it in a loud and fast aspect. i like that. not in virtuosity but in their pulse. they put out a very upbeat danceable album. throw in a pinch of song writing genius and a dual guitar assault and it makes the recipe. they also have weird ska reggae undertones that i really dig. the same way the strokes do it coincedentally. they are more focused and still want to rock out and keep people dancing. that is key! so many rock bands aren't thinking about having people really groovin' and dancing. this retro 80's craze is doing that. it doesn't have to be all head-bangin'(although as a rock fan i feel like elbowing myself for saying that). they've grown up and are unique. like tapas food with jerk seasoning. hehehe. pick this up.

5 out of 5 thumbs

Franz' Website

Posted by JJ at 3:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

i should have mentioned this earlier, but itunes and iPods rock! i am a partner of theirs and i strongly support the lifestyle. they have the coolest hardware and design. they have 90% of the music i like available for crystal clear downloading (the illegal sites suck for clarity). they have an awesome MP4 compression. I still have not mimic'd it. what they don't have, tower records .com ALWAYS has! that's why i am their partner too. they rock for all obscure stuff. most of it ships from cali for some reason. my thumb rating is based on their star rating. here is my iPod rating system: 1 star is deleteable, it sucks! 2 stars is a good chick/love-making song (just keep checking my system out!) 3 stars is my questionable category, should i keep it or delete it. either way i want to give it another try (different from 1 star). 4 stars means the song is "the shit" BUT i will get tired of hearing it ALL the time if it shuffled up. 5 stars is badass. i will dig it whenever i hear it. now i have also made smart playlists for all my star categories. u can just click on your 1 star playlist and delete those songs from your library (or unclick them). 2 stars is your mack mix. 3 stars is your weird mix of what you have. don't play this for a party!. 4 and 5 star lists rock. i listen to my 5 star playlist alot. i strongly encourage u all to star your songs and create a system (double click the center dot and u got your stars). the ipod is genius in it's simplicity. ever since i bought an ipod it's changed my life. i bought the Ipod brand (very important) radio transmitter (itrip) and use it everywhere. i play it in my car when i'm there. in my gym on my armband when i work out. in my shower through pc speakers. at party's and clubs both ways. as a dj, i've dj'd so many personal friends party's with mine! by a nano or go for the 60GB video pod. just FYI for anyone using my site.

Posted by JJ at 3:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As I have said many times to everyone I know, these guys are the greatest rock band of right now. And live is how they do it. They are the new "Zeppelin". I have only given this title to one other band, Jane's Addiction. Having seen both Mars and Jane's live showed me bands that were loud as hell, very into complicated band jamming, and bluesy enough to sound like everything before them but being truly unique in their setup. Seeing the Mars Volta was a life changing concert experience. Each member of this band is a true virtuoso. I met a bunch of them last time I saw them in Chicago. Nice guys (well, the ones who didn't disappear right after the show). Together they explore the artsy noodling in which they all improvise without boundaries. And they do this alot, maybe 35-40% of their music. Their drummer sounds like he has 4 arms, and is using them. The singer has a very unique voice and belts away to his greatest ability. Total abandon. The guitarist sounds like 3 -4 guitarists with all the effects pedals he uses. The bass player came from a speed metal band Racer X and just cranks through the fast tempos they throw his way, whether punk, funk, latin, reggae, or hard rock. The keyboard player also contributes Beatles-like keyboard sounds behind their wall of noise. They also have a percussionist and a multi-instumentalist horn player (saxophone and flute). They all either take their turn holding down the ryhthm (plan b) or they just all let loose (plan a). This new cd was recorded over the Francis the Mute album tour. Strangely enough, no songs off of that album were selected. It has 1 song off of their first EP "Concertina". It has 2 songs off of their 1st album "Take The Veil Cerpin Taxt (now in 3 parts live with extended improv) and "Cicatriz" (now in four parts live with alot of improv). It has very nice Pink Floyd and dub style tape effects for the first song and in much of the last song's end sections. The rest of the album is artsy fusion noodling, which by the way is like musical gold for me. Like a cross between Fugazi, Led Zeppelin, the Doors, Eddie Palmieiri, and Sly and Robbie.

5 out of 5 thumbs

Mars' Website

Posted by JJ at 2:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)