Fat Joe – Eastern Motors

MC Hammer – British Knights

Kanye West – Absolut Vodka

Kurtis Blow – Sprite

Notorious B.I.G. – St. Ides

OK before this turns into a Tosh flame war; have y’all done the salvia? A few of my friends did it around the campfire and it didn’t really look like fun at all. I guess it’s not really reasonable to expect high schoolers to grasp the deeper and shamanistic herbal qualities of an ancient dried plant, but still, my friends were a bit dumbfounded. The best bit was the three or four guys shouting at another guy deep in a salvia trance “dude, dude, dude, what’s it like? What’s happening?”, while they’re sat there, practically drooling on themselves. Not exactly six-pack fun. Oh and by the way, has salvia jumped the shark if it’s on Funny Or Die? Or does that happen when it’s banned in the USA? [via IsBrave]

Kate Corris of The Mo-Dettes, Photo by Philippe Carly

Thanks to the Daily Swarm, there’s word of this very awesome home-made compilation chronicling female fronted Punk and Post-Punk. This is a ridiculously comprehensive collection that scours the globe for female-fronted punk that not only touches on classics but delves way deep into the very obscure crevices of the punk universe. Here’s the scoop on the compilation:

This is a pretty insane project put together by my pal Vince B. from San Francisco a few years back. As the title indicates, this is a homemade 12 x CD-R (!) compilation of punk bands fronted by female vocalists from 1977 to 1989. More like a giant mixtape than a compilation, as he only made 36 copies which he sent to friends and people who submitted material. You may notice that some of the bands didn’t have a steady female vocalist (The Lewd, etc.) but he still included songs that were sung by another member of the band. This is as international as it gets, with stuff ranging from world famous Blondie or Crass to the most obscure Eastern European cassette compilation veterans. The boxset came packaged in a handnumbered fancy translucent lunchbox enclosing all 12 CD-Rs, a stack of full-colored cards featuring comprehensive tracklist and artwork/info, as well as a manga pin-up figure! Talk about a labor of love.

Bethan Peters of Delta 5, Photo by Philippe Carly

I don’t know about you, but I effin’ love female-fronted or just all girl punk bands. I remember a point in my life where that’s all I was trying to hunt down while scouring for records and CDs. Right now 8 parts of this epic 12 disc compilation are up for download on Kängnäve, and are broken up into 3 separate blog posts (Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3). Check back there soon for part 4 and the remaining 4 discs of this retrospective.

V/A – The Minimal Wave Tapes Vol.1 (2010) [Stones Throw] // Grade: B+

This 14 track compilation is brought to you courtesy of Peanut Butter Wolf of Stones Throw and Veronica Vasicka of Minimal Wave Records. Odd combo I know, but Stone’s Throw and Peanut Butter Wolf in particular have always been very eclectic in their musical interests and pursuits. Given the transformation and embrace of synthpop that Hip Hop is seeing recently (thanks to the likes of Kanye and Kid Cudi), is a Hip Hop label putting out a compilation of mostly ignored and forgotten synth music all that odd anymore?  Maybe if this was came out in ’07 or ’08, but in 2010, especially when it’s Stone’s Throw, I just don’t think so.

Made up mostly from tracks from some of the lesser known bands of cold wave and minimal electro heydays of the early to mid 80s. Minimal Wave has done all the dirty work in tracking down these bands and their albums so you don’t have to. Most of the releases on this particular compilation and in Minimal Waves discography where self released in small numbers by the bands themselves and were only able to reach a small amount of people already in a very niche based music genre. There was no Pitchfork or Myspace to launch bands from local openers to rock stars in the matter of a week in 1981 and frankly many of the early Wave artists just weren’t the sort of bands built for larger audiences.

Of course there are those out there to whom some of these bands or even the whole Cold Wave, Dark Wave and Minimal Wave of synthpop is old hat (for which Veronica Vasicka deserves a lot of credit for). But in general this is still very much a small niche scene within an already small scene. What this compilation serves to do (and does really well) is broadening the reach and exposure of not really any of these bands, but the movement they took part in decades ago. The timing is perfect also since it seems a good chunk of the music media and all-around music fan is not only receptive towards this sort of exotic synthpop, but hungry to hear and learn about more of it. For instance, when listening to tracks like “Blurred” by short lived trio Turqoise Days your avid music blog reader in 2010 will get a very clear picture of where a band like Cold Cave have taken their cues from.

All of the albums 14 tracks are dark and danceable with some songs being little more then a sequence of bleeps and bloops with a vocal track like “Flying Turns” by Crash Course in Science to full on 80s New Wave jams like “Radiance” by Oppenheimer Analysis (a UK based duo that was initially only around for 2 years from ’82-’84 before reforming in 2006). The Minimal Wave Tapes Vol. 1 really help to connect the dots from the past to the present all while sounding pretty futuristic. It’s a dual snapshot of a bygone era and how the present is suddenly and strongly feeling it’s influence.

My only complaint was with a few of the song selections. I couldn’t help but feel that some of the less exciting songs such as “Mickey Please” by Bene Gesserit could have been swapped out for another from the vast Minimal Waves catalog…but now I’m just being picky as someone who has spent the past few years really digesting and loving this sort of stuff. Those of you with fresh ears will assuredly find a whole lot to like here, especially if you’ve been listening closely to bands like SALEM, Cold Cave and even Blessure Grave.

Style Section L.A. did an interview with me at the end of the night last Saturday night, and turned in this very in-depth and great little piece about the new Мишка LA Store. Here’s there take on the decor:

Wedged in a row of famed storefronts on Echo Park Avenue (just north of Sunset Boulevard), Mishka’s environs sport an industrial-meets-Pee-Wee’s-Playhouse vibe. Whitewashed walls, black shelving units and concrete floors provide a warehouse feel — and are the perfect canvas to showcase Mishka’s graphic designs as well as graffiti, anime-inspired art and an oddball toy collection befitting any boy.

I think the whole industrial meets Pee-wee thing is my favorite quote from thearticle. Not to sure about the “anime” and “graffiti” though, I think they meant “Kaiju” and “Outsider Art” there. I guess we still have some educating to do! :)

It’s a nice read and goes into heavy detail on the buildout, decor, what we stock, the staff and even parking!

Last Summer I caught up with Rob Roy, and we chopped it up over the telephone. He gave me a rundown of how he got to where he was at, and I wrote this piece. I hope you enjoy it.

Making good hip hop is about walking a fine line between who you are and who you aspire to be, and doing it in a way that makes other people want to walk it too. Everyone goes through the trials and tribulations of being a human, but not everyone meets their challenges with the same outlook. On a whole, hip hop is about meeting the struggles of life with the intention of conquering them, and rappers like Rob Roy empower people. Unlike other rappers though Rob just does Rob, and doesn’t make a lot of the common concessions to make the audience feel comfortable, but he does an incredible job of making the audience feel welcome. His forthcoming record King, Warrior, Magician, Lover is an aptly titled roundup of the human archetypes that contributed to the music’s creation.

This is not a record that got made because of a recording budget. This is not a record that got made because Rob is great at notating sheet music. This is not a record that got made because Rob plays an instrument so well. This record has more in common with Afrika Bambaataa rocking a Mohawk, Kool Herc flipping the merry go round, and Grandmaster Flash building his own mixer––because what they had was what was in front of them—than it does anything else. This record wreaks of the finest strains of what the G-ds laid down, cured in the purest cellars of funky Southern do-goodery, and released for our pleasure.

If you’ve heard the single/seen the video for “Fur in my Cap” then you know the deal. If not, then you need only know that in 3’56” Rob manages to make you both embrace and shun everything you love and hate about hip hop (and you can check the video below for confirmation). But, there’s a lot more to what he’s doing than the crunked out synth strings of the track might suggest.

While you may be inclined to question what it is that Rob is doing, there is no question that he is a rapper from the South. As Rob told me, “It’s about the path that Outkast paved, as much as it is about their music. They opened up doors, and broke down barriers and a multitude of styles, and scenes emerged after them.” Rob takes note in a brilliant way, and steps through those doors with a particular panache. He delivers something that is familiar, yet unexpected. His music is what hip hop might sound like on the other side of whatever comes next. And taking keen inspiration from what is arguably the greatest hip hop duo ever, Rob manages to imply a kind of chic credit where it is due. Rob definitely owns a particular brand of Southern rap, with the delivery a bit more nasal, vowels drawn out fluidly as if they were being pronounced by the slow-motion tongue of a chameleon, and the syllables lilting along in rapid succession. But moreso, the entire aesthetic of the album is drenched in the twang and sensibilities that the South as a musical region rears.

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Continuing our Keep Watch mix series is Craze. The mix starts with an easy vibe that flows in and out from dubby synths to intense bursts of energy that Craze is known for. The mix then takes it to the next gear cutting up and mashing together dance floor smashers to tropical and dubstep anthems. The mix features a variety of guest tracks such as Señor Stereo and Klever later to be released on his Slow Roast Records label. The legendary Craze delivers another classic mix that will leave you fiending for more.

Craze’s life is a legacy of rags to riches, geek to chic, no-name to world fame. He never had it easy nor did he have any coattails to ride; his is a story of an uphill battle that ends right at the top. While Craze is regarded internationally and unquestionably as one of the best scratch DJs in the world winning the DMC World Championships an unprecedented three times he is also regarded as a one of the hypest and most electric club DJ’s around.

The world has quickly recognized that Craze is a second to none club DJ touring the globe over, from Jamaica to Australia to Japan to Iceland to France to his native country of Nicaragua. Craze is also making a claim as a world-renowned producer, releasing successful drum’n'bass records with labels such as Cartel Recordings, Breakbeat Kaos, C.I.A., and numerous hip-hop inspired productions in conjunction with DMC Records, Ninja Tune Records, OM Records and K7 Records. It’s the respect from both DJ’s and audiences alike that paved Craze’s seamless move between hip-hop and turntablism to drum’n'bass.

Keep Watch Vol. XVI: Craze by Мишка Bloglin

The world’s largest New Era cap belongs to us and lives at 350 Broadway. Perhaps you remember this Store Spotting with DJ School Boy (Seen above) when most of the world first caught glimpse of it?

“Some time ago, we approached New Era about producing this mammoth of hat. Why? Simply because we wanted to know if we could make the world’s largest New Era. It seemed to be the perfect opportunity to take our iconic Keep Watch logo to the next level.

And much to our delight, New Era obliged. We were then graced with a 16″ Keep Watch New Era. The first of its kind but definitely not the last. It then snowballed into four more giant hats because of how pleased we were the first one.

So as such, we’ve decided that if anyone is deserving of the biggest hat, it should be one of Mishka’s biggest fans.”

We’ve teamed up with High Snob to give away one of these giant Keep Watch New Eras….

Here’s how it works:

1. Join High Snobiety’s Facebook group. If you’re already a member then you’re good so far.

2. Post a photo of yourself wearing a Мишка New Era Cap on the Highsnobiety Facebook Wall (or post it direct to the Fan photos album here).

3. Get creative! The best photo (as chosen by us) will win the giant cap.

Just imagine the conversation piece this will be perched in prime real estate in your livingroom or bedroom. Use it as a fruit basket, a hamper, a butterfly catcher, for tomato soup or fuck it man…cut out some eye-holes in it and just wear it! You be you!!!

Last night Ricky, Julien and Bubbles made their second live appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel Show. I’m not sure how well you guys (who aren’t Canadian) know the hilarity that is Trailer Park Boys, but it’s seriously one of the funniest shows to ever air on TV.

I love just how far these guys take staying in character ALL OF THE TIME. This appearance isn’t unique in that regard, but it’s always funny and all three do it so effortlessly that I’m not really even sure if they’re acting.

If you have DirectTV you can start catching reruns of the show in the U.S. finally… or you could always just track down DVDs of each season along with their first movie or their most recent movie Liquor Day which came out on DVD this week.

It also looks like they’re finally bringing a live Trailer Park Boys performance to the US with shows in Los Angeles and Seattle at the end of this month. I really, really hope they come out east! I think even more so than Pee-wee…

Quasi – American Gong (2010) [Kill Rock Stars] // Grade: B+

What’s always stood out to me about Quasi is their ability to make a whole lot of noise with only two members. Husband and wife duo Sam Coomes and Janet Weiss have been making some of the most consistently good indie rock out there together since 1993, and finally in 2010 with their newest release, American Gong, have expanded their lineup, adding bassist Joanna Bolme.

With a new bassist on tap and a new label to call home (Kill Rock Stars), American Gong takes that logical exploratory step that every band making music as long as Quasi eventually needs. The addition of Bolme’s bass makes American Gong the heaviest of Quasi’s releases to date. But what’s interesting is that Bolme doesn’t just add volume, Coomes and Weiss seem to react almost intrinsically to her addition and their own efforts feel more rhythmic and less chaotic.

Quasi’s two strongest selling points, their fuzziness and their catchiness, aren’t lost with American Gong. “Bye Bye Blackbird” dissolves Coomes’ vocal intro into a massive, speaker-blowing raincloud of fuzz that spans minutes. And the album’s lead track “Repulsion” is an explosive pop-charged standout. “Little White Horse” combines both fronts, alternating between a shouted chorus with frenzied guitar and a slowly meandering mid-section. My only complaint about American Gong is that all the strongest tracks are placed in the album’s first half, creating a latter half that comparatively drags.

Quasi has done well with their first effort at an expanded lineup. Bolme’s addition feels just right and Coomes and Weiss naturally react for an album that takes the best parts of Quasi’s past and amps them up for the future.