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