Posts

The Orb, “Blue Room [Edit]”

The Orb’s U.F.Orb was a big hit for ambient house, which is still a relative measure, but still. Like all electronic albums that got big, there were a host of remix singles and things that were put out. This comes from one of those singles, and is a tidy 3:12 mix of the song. This same single includes a 40:00 mix of the song, in case you wanted more. You can simulate it by playing this track thirteen times in a row.

Neutral Milk Hotel, “Song Against Sex”

In The Aeroplane Over The Sea is a record that sort of became a shibboleth among indie dorks, the sort of thing you had to pledge allegience to in order to fit in among certain crowds. Or make fun of, to piss off those indie dorks. But mostly, people don’t talk about the first Neutral Milk Hotel record, On Avery Island, which to my ears is pretty comparable. Sure, the second album is better, but I don’t think it’s so MUCH better to explain the different reputations.

Run the Jewels, “Early (feat. BOOTS)”

I still think Run The Jewels 2 is the best album from them. In fact, let’s do this!

Run The Jewels 2 RTJ4 R.A.P. Music (aka RTJ 0) Run the Jewels 3 Run the Jewels Meow the Jewels

Broham, “Nothing In Common”

Oh man, that is sweet. Listen to that bass! The horns!

Baby Elephant, “Turn My Teeth Up!”

Baby Elephant is eccentric genius Prince Paul teaming up with funk legend Bernie Worrell for an album of off-kilter funk. Worrell is incapable of not sounding like a million bucks, and Prince Paul is, as mentioned a sentence ago, a genius. So, this album rules.

The Flaming Lips, “Turn It On”

I tend to listen to the albums from Soft Bulletin on more than anything, but that’s kind of a mistake. The Ronald Jones albums (he left after Clouds Taste Metallic) are a different beast than the more symphonic stuff later, but that extra crunch goes really nice. This is a great tune! Now, if you go prior to In A Priest Driven Ambulence, you’re really getting some dodgy stuff, but this era (this is the opener to 1993’s Transmissions From the Satellite Heart) has lots to recommend it.

Astronoid, “Resin”

We’ve frequently talked here about the blurry space between black metal and shoegaze, and some of the bands occupying that liminal space. There’s a fair bit of distance to travel between My Bloody Valentine and Bathory, mind you, but because they do exist on something of a continuum, most of the spots in-between are viable. So, today, we have Astronoid: those drums and rhythms are pretty metal, but the dreamy vocals and triumphant tilt to the music is very shoegaze. This record really very much sits at the midpoint, I’d say.

Crudbump, “My Dick’s On The Phone [Explicit]”

I don’t normally include the “[Explicit]” tags on songs, but I think you all need that warning when we’re facing something as nasty as Crudbump.

Has-Lo, “Got My Mind”

This is from Has-Lo’s tribute to Prince Paul, The Paul Tape, an instrumental record in the style of the legendary producer. And if anybody hasn’t encountered it yet, Open Mike Eagle’s podcast, What Had Happened Was, is tremendous and has an entire season with Prince Paul.

Freddie Gibbs & Madlib, “Massage Seats”

We’ve had a lot of Madlib around here, in a bunch of different projects. In 2014, he got together with Freddie Gibbs, the upcoming gangsta rapper who also was comfortable as an underground MC. That collaboration, Piñata, was one of my favorite Madlib records ever (which is really saying something). The pairing felt natural, with Madlib’s gritty, fractured beats complementing Gibbs’s flows perfectly. This track is from the followup, Bandana, which is just as good, although because it was the second it doesn’t have the factor of surprise working for it. Both albums are very highly recommended.

The Hit Pack, “Never Say No To Your Baby”

A Motown track from 1965, the heavy horns here really sound a little more like Stax than like Motown, especially from 1965.

Rufus Thomas, “Funky Mississippi”

Yeah, see, those horns!

DJ Vadim, “Your Revolution”

DJ Vadim’s second album, U.S.S.R. Life From The Other Side, found the abstract hip-hop producer working with MCs on most of the tracks, which largely was an improvement. I think abstract hip-hop can sometimes get a little lazy, and having to make sure things will work with someone actually rapping makes sure that he tightens things up.

Fifteen, “Petroleum Distillation”

Fifteen is the successor band to Crimpshrine, who were one of the seminal bands of the entire Gilman/Lookout scene in California. Crimpshrine splintered, yielding Operation Ivy, the legendary Cometbus zine, and Fifteen. As you can hear, this is very much right in the middle of that Lookout sound, all melodic punk in the vein of Stiff Little Fingers. Quite enjoyable if you’re into this style.

Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet, “Good Cop Bad Cop”

The Shadowy Men would become famous as the band who provided the theme song and much of the music for the Kids in the Hall. But to me, they’ll always remind me of my friends Drew and Alex in college, and specifically Alex’s dorm where I first encountered them. They were really the first instrumental band I fell in love with, and one of the key ways I started broadening my taste. I’m glad that it still sounds great to me, and cherish the ability of this album to transport me back to that time.

Isotope 217, “Kryptonite Smokes The Red Line”

Is it post-rock or jazz? Half of the band is from Tortoise, so that’s a big post-rock vote. But, they have multiple horns! So, jazz? But Godspeed You! Black Emperor have multiple horns, right? [checks] Hmm, only one listed. I’m going to say that more than one horn makes you into jazz. Gonna have to see if the horn rule holds up.

Noname, “Regal”

Noname is from Chicago, and first gained some fame working with Chance the Rapper. Her 2018 album, Room 25, is fantastic - jazzy, smooth, she has great delivery, it’s a real delight.