Little Brother

Straight out of Durham, NC comes the best underground rap group of the past 10 years (depending on whether you count the Clipse as underground). Combining the flow and intelligence of groups like Tribe, De La Soul, and Pharcyde with the east coast production style of Premier and Pete Rock, these three dudes are totally changing the rap landscape as they begin to achieve some mainstream success. Producer 9th Wonder is absolutely sick, and rappers Phonte and Big Pooh are as anti-gangster as they get - just a couple of goofy, hilarious guys genuinely enjoying what they do. If you like what you hear, they will be performing at the Highline Ballroom Oct. 20th with Brother Ali and Psalm One. Should be one dopeass show. Some love:

"Altitudes" from Chitlin Circuit Mixtape


"Love Joint Revisited" from The Listening


"Lovin It" from The Minstrel Show


"Shake It" from the True Notes Comp

Fly(ing) Lo(tus)

Boys and girls, this shit is fire. Dude is an LA cat, great aunt is Alice Coltrane, who was John C's wife meaning he's also the nephew of Mr. Sax himself but for some reason all the sites just mention his aunt, so i dunno if theres something that implies, but either way, check it out, incredible. This is half of his first album, 1983, i can't figure out how to put an entire album up on one link, so if anyone knows hit me up. Until then, here are some tracks. get some.

http://www.divshare.com/download/2250428-354
http://www.divshare.com/download/2250570-f12
http://www.divshare.com/download/2250579-5d2
http://www.divshare.com/download/2250583-d9d
http://www.divshare.com/download/2250586-51b
http://www.divshare.com/download/2250592-5eb

Of Montreal and October

I love the month of October. It is my birthday month and it also brings back great memories of cool, green Florida autumn. In the soundtrack of life, Of Montreal's "October is Eternal" certainly gets play time during this month. This track comes at the tail end of their 2005 release The Sunlandic Twins. This track is somber. In places it wanders and in other places it makes me want to rip my shirt off. Listen to it and treat yourself to a Learian moment.



If that track got you down, snack on their next and final track on the album. The sun comes up with "The Repudiated Immortals." It is a light close to a good album.

Divshare

A few of you have asked how I put these in my posts:



It's through a free website called divshare - some quick instructions:

1. goto http://www.divshare.com/ and sign up
2. upload a song just like you do on zshare
3. after it is done uploading, click on the "more options" button
4. copy the code next to "embed"
5. when you are ready to put the player in your post, click over to "edit html" in the top right corner, paste the code, and when you go back to "compose" you should see a black rectangle where the player will be

really simple, fast, and free - plus as an added bonus all the songs you upload will be available for you online through their website whenever you want them.

A Few Things

As the lone honky cat sunflower on this blog, I figured it about time for me to jump on this bandwagon. I'm at work absent my external HD so I can't upload anything till I get around to it, but I just wanted to throw shoutouts to a few songs I've been feeling particularly hard as of late...

1) Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey - The Spark that Bled (Piano instrumental cover of a Flaming Lips song from Soft Bulletin...just beautiful, may or may not appear in Howie Show EP. 3 as a result of its awesomeness.)

2) Bright Eyes - Classic Cars (off his album that came out last year, Cassedega, which isn't totally amazing ridiculous awesome, but this song's pretty great; "the best country singers die in the back of classic cars.")

3) Old Crow Medicine Show - Tell it to Me (an ol' fashioned bluegrass honky-tonk barnstomper all about, you guessed it, cocaine!)

This blog's a good thing you guys got goin' here. Anybody got some good concerts comin' up soon they're psyched for? I'm going to the Bridge School Benefit show on 10/27 in San Fran: Neil Young, Metallica, Eddie Vedder & Flea, Tom Waits w/ the Kronos Quartet, Regina Spektor, etc...
I saw Dinosaur, JR a few weeks ago for free. That was pretty rockin. The opener was these guys, Band of Horses, who I dug. Anyone with me on Dino Jr? Talk about ol' school; those guys might even predate RUN-DMC.

The Blow - Paper Television

So I'm going to this concert tonight, and thought I would share the love. Let me preface this by saying, this is chick rock. But really good chick rock. Not so much mournful and soulful, but with an electro-indie edge. More Peaches than Ani.

It has some nice, synth, drum machine minimalist production and the lead singer's voice is pretty accessible. Anyway...I like it. You might too.

Take a listen:

Bedouin Soundclash

Hey guys...wierd. Their first cd was awsome. Yes they're Canadian, but I fell in love with this band's first album thanks to a girl with one pigmentless eye (Wayne's World 2 anyone) that was doing drugs in my old bedroom. Apparently there pretty big up north and in england...They are very chill sound sort of reminicint of sublime and the police maybe some 311, but with a more modern, organic, and maybe even a little more folkey aproach. Basically white boy dub (+a black bassist) with a taste of Ska (dont run #1). They are definitely taking a step in a more mainstream direction on this album (dont run #2). They remind me of Kings of Leon, in that they are young marketable and make anthematic indie rock... and I feel like I should hate them for that (look out fraternity houses world wide #3). But check them out they're really good and I have a feeling there gonna blow up, so get in on it before they make it big and you have to act too cool to like them.

Heres a taste of the new single... "walls":
http://www.zshare.net/audio/4004472d0b761f/

And a bonus off the first album (Ill up it if there is interest its sick) "Shelter":
http://www.zshare.net/audio/40045071462069/

Album:

http://www.zshare.net/download/400301161320ed/

The Field - From Here We Go Sublime

So, who's down for some MINIMALIST TECHNO?

Seriously though, this is a dope album. Dude takes the pulse and crescendoes of 90's trance and infuses the sounds of indie hip-hop (vocal cuts, vinyl scratches and textures). The songs take a while to develop, so those of you lacking in patience may find it repetitive, but for me it has this hypnotic quality thats great for bumping at work, gym, etc. - when I want some music to get lost in.

"A Paw In My Face"


"Silent"



Download

The namesake

Dear friends, fanatics, and faithful groupies: How hangs the brain waves? How rubs the knee pads? How now brown cow? I'm writing on behalf of my good friends John Cocco and Winslow Porter. Anyone who will be in the NYC tomorrow night looking for some funky rhythms, heady rhymes, dancey dance, fancey pants music should definitely check these dudes out. From 10pm-4am these kids will be keeping the beats going at the Leopard Lounge on 85th 2nd Ave at 5th St. No cover and drink specials all night long. Bring a girl and I promise she'll sleep with you...well either you or them. Also, rumor has it Natalie Portman is stalking them, true story. Enclosed is a live sample from one of their previous shows http://www.zshare.net/audio/3220772393b229/

Blockhead Live in NYC

Blockhead has always been my favorite post-Shadow instrumental hip-hop producer - his songs have so much built-in style and yet still retain a very natural feel. This bootleg, however, takes him up a whole other notch in my book. Recorded in 2004, it features mostly songs off of "Music By Cavelight", and here Blockhead just goes fucking bonkers, throwing in Phil Collins and M.J. vocals, old school rap samples, harmonicas, Bon Jovi guitar - the randomest storm of shit over these very simple songs...and makes it all fit together perfectly. In fact, I find myself preferring the versions on this set to his album versions almost completely. Give it a listen:




Download

Todd Terje Rekutts 1

So after a fairly indulgent night I have been playing house music all day long in the office to keep the brain waves flowing properly. This kid’s edits are pretty indisputable, especially “Can’t Help It”. I think it actually hit pop radio in Europe. As an aside, I think my boss is going through a midlife crisis, and has asked me send him an email with these links attached....poor guy.

http://www.zshare.net/audio/178414530fb6cd/http://www.zshare.net/audio/178418264b498b/

http://www.zshare.net/audio/178444563fdcc1/

Some Shit - You Know

Couple things - latest Brother Ali album is pretty hot. I've always liked this guy, but this album is a lot cleaner and more consistent than the the others, I think. This has been around for a little while now, but I still dig it - and hip hop seems to be the overriding theme around here.
http://www.zshare.net/audio/385316342cbc55/
http://www.zshare.net/audio/3853205188f3d5/
http://www.zshare.net/audio/385326928310e9/

Also, I know at least a couple people on this forum went to see the Kings of Leon this weekend. Ridiculous - these guys played so tightly, the sound was spot on and so hard the whole way through. Really impressed. They have the chops - they've made three completely different albums to date and they're like 22. Maybe.
http://www.zshare.net/audio/385324202d08a0/
http://www.zshare.net/audio/3853290ca3779b/

Uh sorry not to expound more, but I'm kinda drunk. Just listen.

NEW JAY

Only cause I love you.... Pharrell on the beat.

http://www.zshare.net/audio/37902189849033/

Every exec in my office left work early yesterday for a preview of "American Gangster" in the world stage downstairs... Needless to say I wasnt invited.

Why cant I post as a link....?? Oh well copy and paste bitches... and dont act like you arnt gonna, even you Lev...

Heres a bonus for you new from the ROC... "Rocafella Billionares" by "The Philly Freezer" Freeway. (FEATURING "HOVA"... so it's worth the download)

Roctober is coming bastards... but it got pushed back to Roc...vember???

http://www.zshare.net/audio/37903727e73293/

Represent the 1st

Hello My fello Hipsters, Snobs, and Openminded Music Lovers,

Here is some sick hip hop comming by way of Lupe Fiasco repping the 1st and 15th in Chi-City its a song off the new album, but not the first single... The chorus is stuck in my head probably 80% of my life these days. Interesting, sharp, flows on point, and its not about selling coke or killing people. When are rappers gonna start rapping about doing coke, that will really help propel the ghetto into ruins, I mean come on guys... well Juelz does, and he is quite the trend setter.

Read my response to the Kanye post you Bastards I have alot to say I write like a hiphop website with worse spelling.

http://www.zshare.net/audio/37900434a00152/

IConcertCal

I know I've mentioned this to a few of you before, but for those of you who haven't heard, this program is dope as hell. It's a free plugin for your ITunes that shows you when artists in your library are coming into town and when they are dropping new albums...essential for those of us with an outstanding habit of finding out about shows the day after they happened

http://www.iconcertcal.com/

Studio 54 Vol. 2

“Git Down Saturday Night” has got to be one of my favorite house tracks. It's pretty undeniable. I know it made the rounds a few years back but it always seems to come in handy and I’m sure there are still a few out there who haven’t heard it. I prob should call this an edit cause all it really is is a glorified 909 loop with a simple synth bass and some serious filtering of “Get Down Saturday Night.” One thing I particuarly like about this track (and most Dj Kom tracks for that matter) is the low end kick that is used. Good luck finding this on the dance 6 pressing with “And Da Beat Goes On” cause that shit is impossible to find! My friend Cocco even bugged the creator for about 6 months straight trying to get him to sell a copy and that didn't even work....I think it's now turned into his grail quest.

http://www.zshare.net/audio/174652224b8c30/

Shout Out Louds

The Shout Out Louds are a band from Sweeeeden that haven't really blown up here...but they should. Here is one of their songs (remixed). This guy's got an awesome voice and if you like, I'll put up the rest of the album.
(Shout Out Louds - Impossible)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/376233542d3250/

American Gangster

So, here's another reason to get excited about hip-hop these days... Apparently everyone's favorite CEO was so impressed by the new Denzel/Russel Crowe movie American Gangster, that he felt compelled to put some tracks together and is dropping a new album the first week of November. Can't say that I'm not doubly excited -- both for the the movie being really good (it apparently inspired Jay to get back in the studio), AND the thought that we'll be getting (finger's-crossed) another great Jay-Z album for the collection (cause Kingdom Come has its place, but certainly not at the top). Check out the article link here: NY Times article

Science Fiction Disco Part 1: Chrsytal City

So I've been listening to this a lot lately on my way to work. It's my favorite track from the Rubicon EP. For the uninitiated: if you like Daft Punk, you'll like Braxe & Falke.

http://www.zshare.net/audio/2733331574bf1e/

Russian Futurists - Our Thickness

Speaking of summer jams, I've been thoroughly addicted to this album for a few months now. The best description I could offer of the Russian Futurists is "Beach Boy crunk", which is a terrible sounding combination but turns out so well I wonder why there aren't more bands (well, actually its one dude) exactly like this. Ridiculously addictive, and apparently he gets drunk and listens to AM radio for inspiration, so serious style points as well.

Listen:
"Still Life"


"Our Pen's Out of Ink"



Download