Music
Like most designers/artists, I’m a big fan of Apple. Big Surprise. Recently though, I’ve had about a bajillion problems with my fancy iPhone. I’ve updated software, this & that, blah, blah, and it’s still buggin’ out! Well, the problems still continue, and I can’t seem to find enough time to make another trip to the Apple store to get it fixed. (Don’t ask about my first trip, and don’t ask me why there isn’t an Apple store in Philadelphia?!) All that aside, today was the first time I’ve checked out the Genius addition to iTunes and HOT DAMN it’s pretty cool! If you’ve got 17,000+ songs all begging for a listen Genius does a fantastic job of picking out some gems and making quite a nice little playlist out of them. It doesn’t make up for all my iPhone trouble but it sure does ease tension between me & my favorite corporate monster.
While checking out the MEGAWORDS site(worth a visit!) I stumbled onto the blogspot titled ‘Awesome Tapes from Africa’. I was quick to realize that I had just discovered a true internet gem. The blog, which has been actively posting mp3s since 2006, is jam packed with tons of music! Something about music from other parts of the world fascinates & inspires me…a real gold mine!
Recently I’ve been really excited about reggae from the late 60s & 70s. I’ve been searching for old low-fi reggae to fill my summer days and came across the Analog Africa myspace, which I believe is a German DJ, playing some amazing African music. Here is a track to enjoy!
Le Super Borgou de Parakou - Congolaise Benin Ye
And oh yes…dig up some old Burning Spear and get irie!
Once in a while it’s great fun to just buy an album without knowing anything or very little about the artist. I can remember being in Paris a couple years ago, walking into a record store, and purchasing two discs on a whim. I couldn’t read the track titles or understand the names of the albums but it was a bit of a rush. I didn’t know what I had gotten into, but I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a CD player to see what there was to discover. Those two discs were just satisfactory, and I couldn’t understand the lyrics, but it didn’t stop me from continuing to take chances on music. Just over a year ago I heard the name Kashmere Stage Band, and read a small article mentioning a re-issue of this high school stage band’s music, which had been all but lost for years, existing only on a hand full of rare records. This was one shot in the dark that paid off BIG TIME! Kashmere Stage Band does not disappoint with their James Brown-esque funk anthems and high-energy sound. Dig it!
While in Tennessee last weekend I took another very successful shot in the dark when I picked up a rare compilation of the Memphis Jug Band with beautiful recordings from 1927-1932. Touching on a bit of jazz, blues, & folk the Memphis Jug Band is perfect for an early morning cup of coffee. So take a short in the dark! And if you dare please share!
Kashmere Stage Band - Take FiveKashmere Stage Band - Take Five
Last week I went to see Yo Majesty and Does it Offend You, Yeah? at Johnny Brendas in Philadelphia. The show had me dancing all night! Later on that night I ran into Shunda K of Yo Majesty and DJ Orion (Yo Majesty’s DJ) at the Barbary and they invited me to come hang out in the studio. We met up the following day at Brendan Bringem’s Philly recording studio and kicked it for most of the day. We are hoping this isn’t the last time we collaborate…Next up? Possibly a music video for Yo Majesty…stay tuned…
A relatively new web service called MuxTape allows you to create a mix tape of your own and share it with friends. The service is very simple, clean, and straight forward. Choose up to 12 of your favorite tracks, upload them, and share your mix (or MUX). No Bells & Whistles…just sharing music with your friends! One of my favorite things to do! I love the design of the service as well. I love GIANT TYPE on the internet and hover rollovers on large areas (NERD TALK!). Benjamin @ THE BRILLIANCE brings up a cool idea for using MuxTape to collaborate with your friends in order to DJ your house party. Upload your MuxTape before the party and then DJ the party using everyones MuxTape…It’s fair & it’s bound to get people amped! I dig it!
***Make a Muxtape and post the URL in the comments!
Amid some morning chit-chat my friend Jesse pointed me to the video ‘Genius of Love’ by Tom Tom Club. I really missed the boat on this stuff, but it’s fantastic! After watching a number of Tom Tom Club’s videos its very apparent that this stuff was key to inspiring the work of ‘So Me‘ (Justice videos) and a heap of others!
By now you’ve most certainly heard of Brooklyn Phenom Santogold, but have you made it past the single L.E.S. Artistes? ‘Shove It’ is one of my favorites featuring the always engaging Spank Rock. Did I mention the cover art for Santogold’s LP is fantastic!
Santogold - Shove It (feat. Spank Rock)Santogold - Shove It (feat. Spank Rock)
***Also, RCRDLBL has made the b-side track ‘Your Voice’ available for free download! Get it!
Last Thursday I witnessed a show that easily jumps into my top 5 live performances list! For those of you not in the know, ‘I’m From Barcelona’, is an indie-pop group from Sweden with a lot of members. 29 to be exact!. They play music that is so happy it makes you want to cry good tears. Their performance in Philadelphia, at the First Unitarian Church, was packed with balloons, confetti, the cutest Swedish girls, and the most beaming, blissful, & jubilant crowd ever! Basically it was a HAPPY FEST in all capital letters! ‘I’m From Barcelona’ does not play very many live shows, especially in the US, so if you have the opportunity to witness euphoria make sure you pay the $14 for a ticket, slip on your dancing shoes, and show up ready to SMILE!
Familjen a.k.a. Johan T Karlsson, a Swedish techno/electropop artist, has blown my mind with the video for the song ‘Det Snurrar I Min Skalle’. That is Swedish for ‘It’s Spinning Inside My Head’. Directed by Johan Söderberg, the video is a mash-up remix of footage from a tent revival. I am hesitant to even use the term mash-up because this is so far beyond what your typical media mash-up has become. Open your eyes and ears and enjoy!
Familjen - Det Snurrar I Min Skalle
**Where do you start to look for archived footage like this? There are probably so many gems out there waiting to be reborn into modern magic!
via Ryan Firth
Things are happening! My best buds You Can Be A Wesley will be playing a gig at ellO Gallery in New Hampshire on May 16th. Its been a little while since I have designed a poster/flyer for a show and so I jumped on the opportunity to get back on the program. If you are in the area don’t miss it!
My friend Ty Williams just introduced me to a side project from one of the preppy kids in Vampire Weekend. Ty says, “Dude go on my myspace, I have a song by Discovery on my page, it’s up your ally.” So I dialed my internet browser to http://www.myspace.com/discoverdiscovery. Discover Discovery was exactly what I was about to do. And thennn, SMACK! I’m hit upside the head by their album artwork. I think it may be the first animated album artwork I’ve seen! I’ve been reading articles about the future of album art, where its going, whats going to happen with it. I actually had a conversation about how albums may end up just being skinned mp3 players. Carry around your ear buds, stop in the record shop, and buy a mp3 player which is customized by the band, with their songs on it. Pay $6.99 at the register and walk out listening.
Well thats one idea…this is another. How this is translated into the tangible world will be interesting. An LCD screen as your album cover? Seems wasteful in this time of being GREEN! I guess we will have to wait and see but eat this!
Discovery - Orange ShirtDiscovery - Orange Shirt
Oh yeah…check out their music too! I like it! DISCOVERY
