Good bye March!

"You and me melt away...forever.....holding hands....." That's the main vocal loop in all big, spaced-out electronic Gross Magik off Tobacco's 2008 album Fucked Up Friends. The project of sometimes front man for Black Moth Super Rainbow, Tom Fec, Tobacco was picked up by the independent record label: Anticon. Now, it's interesting to note that Anticon was formed, and the catalogue exclusively existed of, independent hip-hop artists, Alias, Dose One, Jel, Odd Nosdam, Pedestrian, Why? and Sole. This was back in 1998 when indie hip-hop was just starting to get a lot of attention. The reason this is so interesting is because, now their catalogue has been diversified to include a lot more experimental/electronic music from other artists, and which I might also add is leading to a very impressive roster. I could talk about this for hours. Anywhot...I think it leads one to hypothesize on the decline of interest in indie hip-hop which is very unfortunate. Back to Tobbaco, he is putting out a new album, Maniac Meat, that features Beck of all people. It's similar to Fucked Up Friends and will be out in May 2010. For now, click the link below and enjoy!

Gross Magik by whoawhoayeahyeah

Spaced out

You know that scene in High Fidelity when John Cusack's character puts on The Beta Band in the store and everyone starts nodding their heads in approval and asking who it is? It was kind of like that this weekend at Thirsty Moon Records in Hillcrest, only instead of The Beta Band it was Spacemen 3 and instead of a store full of people it was just me and Carlos. Spacemen 3 is an English band that was active in the late eighties and early nineties. Today's jam I Love You is off the band's last (and only un-re-released album) Recurring. It's heroin-rock esque soft repetitive whispering vocals over light distortion with an upfront steady moving bass line. I hate to make comparisons but I wouldn't doubt that these guys liked to listen to a lot of .....you know...that one guy from that one band where Andy Warhol designed one of their album covers.....yeah that's it. I picked up one of their albums re-released, The Perfect Prescription, but I have to give BIG thanks to the folks at Thirsty Moon for burning me a copy of Recurring. Thanks Thirsty Moon!!

I Love You by whoawhoayeahyeah

You may not know about The Skeletons, they are a New York-based band that found home with independent Ann Arbor based Ghostly International. I was hooked after hearing Git off their 2005 album of the same name. Living in Ann Arbor at the time I was fortunate enough to catch one of their performances at a Ghostly International party. Sound wasn't so great, but I'm glad I was there nonetheless. Anywho, Fit Black Man appeared as a single on Ghostly's 2006 Idol Tryouts Two. It's typical Skeletons: under matured etherial vocals over a crazy mix of electronic and dance rhythms. I highly recommend giving it a listen to.

Fit Black Man by whoawhoayeahyeah

I'm not usually one for all girl bands. There's always something too whiny or something that screams/stinks of a lack of real life experience. However, with this next group, it's something raw this time. Warpaint is an LA-based all-girl quartet whose 2009 album Exquisite Corpse has made fast moving head way amongst indie fans, myself included. The chosen track off this album is Krimson: indie, unpolished, make-your-heart-bleed-while-you're-dancing groove.

Krimson by whoawhoayeahyeah

It's Ba Ba Boom Time!!!

The prize-winning song of the Jamaican's in 1967 makes today's jam. Not much to say about this one. Just listen to it. Ba. Ba. Boom!

Ba Ba Boom by whoawhoayeahyeah

Keep it Heavy

I don't even remember how I stumbled across this next gem. The song, Keep it Heavy, is off Creme Soda's 1975 album Tricky Zingers. It's all good folk, psych rock. Got a great melody and best of all repeats the name of this blog over and over again. Unfortunately, this is a rare one, they never released another album. So, check it out below and let me know what you think.

Keep It Heavy by whoawhoayeahyeah

Rockabilly Legend or......?

I was all astonishment when I discovered that this next artist is only a few years older than I. Listening to the album and not knowing when it was released you'd swear that he was long dead in the grave. Nope, not Arsen Roulette one of the hottest Rockabilly acts out there right now. Today's track Honky Tonk Alone off his 2006 release Let's Get On With It embodies the sound, recording style and musicianship of rockabilly and country western artists like Gene Maltais, Ed Bruce, Joe Clay and Charlie Feathers. Click the track below, close your eyes and be transported back to 1955 on a dirt road somewhere in rural America cruising in your Ford F100.

Honky Tonk Alone by whoawhoayeahyeah

Sneak Peak: Caribou

Today's song Odessa is off Caribou's upcoming album Swim due out April 20th. If you haven't heard of Caribou before he is a one-man Canadian Electronic/Indie/Dance artist. This song is tender and pulsating and the arrangement brilliantly manages to incorporate a variety of different sounds and samples so as never to get boring. I've played this song for a few different people, all with varying musical tastes, and have received unanimous positive feedback. I hope you like it too. For a free download you can click here and sign up for his e-mail list. Also, check here to see if he'll be in your neck of the woods soon. I'll be at the Casbah on May 20th!

Caribou - Odessa from Merge Records on Vimeo.

Sixtoo

Thanks to those who checked in yesterday. This is day two. Today I have a bit of an oldie but a goodie. There'll be a lot of that more to come on this blog. I could have picked this artist based on the fact that we share the same surname alone. However, it's really more about the music. There's no room on this blog for Billy Squier (sorry Mass). Anys, Sixtoo has put out some incredibly good music in the past ten years. Today's song, Storm Clouds & Silver Linings, is off his 2004 album Chewing On Glass & Other Miracle Cures AND best of all it features the lead singer of Can, Kenji "Damo" Suzuki. Why this song? Why now? It's as simple as coming up on my iPhone. Just one of those songs where you go, "damn, this sheit is good!" It's a little dark, a little serious with a little crazy screaming in the lyrics that play more of the background than the fore. If you like incredible loops and great drums check this out. Check back tomorrow to see what Monday brings.......

16 Storm Clouds & Silver Linings by whoawhoayeahyeah

First day of spring!

It's the first day of spring, it's my first post, what am I feeling today? This sheit right here: Atlas Sound, Walkabout from their latest album Logos. So aptly named it makes you want to do just that: walkabout. The song features the vocalist from Animal Collective, Noah Lennox. The Baltimore-based band Animal Collective's 2009 album Merriweather Post Pavilion (which as a Baltimore native has recently informed me is the name of a popular local venue) was named Mojo Music Magazine's 2009 Album Of The Year. And rightly so, but I digress. This song blissfully makes me feel like a kid all over again (peep the video below). Another notable song from this album is Criminals. A slower jam but also very good, albeit creepiest album cover of 2009. Anyway, I intend to keep posting at least a song a day so check back and check often! Cheers!

03 Walkabout (With Noah Lennox) by whoawhoayeahyeah