Album Reviews: March 2015 Week 2

Silk Rhodes - "Silk Rhodes" - 2014

Silk Rhodes are a new duo on Stones Throw that are from Baltimore. They seem to make some lo-fi music that might loosely fit into the soul category, but definitely seems right at home on Stones Throw. These guys must have had a last minute name change, because they appear in the Stones Throw documentary billed as 'Royal Kush'. These guys kind of remind me of what it would sound like if Mayer Hawthorne tried to do a D'Angelo impression, but had the recording sensibility of the first Cody Chesnutt album, minus the clunkyness. I highly recommend checking this out and I could see these guys going big places in the future, once they've had time to blossom as artists more. Check out the video for "Pains". You can listen to the whole album here. You can purchase the album here.

Sweet Valley - "F.A.N.G." - 2014

Sweet Valley is continuing on with his series of awesome beat creations of all styles very nicely. This one is a lot more rowdy than i'm used to from this project, but still just as mesmerizing. You can listen to or download for free here.

Ras G + VHVL - "Seat Of The Soul" - 2014

This is a limited edition split cassette release that is long gone, but still available as mp3's. Ras brings his usual spaceness, and VHVL seems like a trippy newcomer to check out. All in all a solid little EP. You can listen to or purchase it here.

Traxman & Paisley Parks - "Far East EP" - 2014

One of Traxman's 8 billion releases from last year (ok, maybe i'm exaggerating a little). I like all of his tracks on here, but the Paisley Parks ones don't really do it for me. They're a little bit more jilted and progressive in nature, and maybe I just don't understand Japanese footwork yet. In any event, there's still some worthwhile tracks on here if you're a fan of the genre. You can listen to or purchase the EP here.

Album Reviews: February 2015 Week 4

Ras G - "Down 2 Earth Vol. 2 (The Standard Bap Edition)" - 2014

As any reader of this blog can attest, i've been listening to a lot of Ras G lately and loving it. This is what I would consider his most "normal" album, but that's a relative term for sure, as Ras is quite a psychedelic artist. Another solid collection of beats under his belt. Check out this video for "Love & Peace / Polo Jacket & Dashiki". You can listen to the whole album here. You can purchase the album here.

Traxman - "Slash Time" - 2014

One of his many releases from last year, this is a solid set of 6 tracks guaranteed to set off any party that's not full of squares. He just keeps it coming with tight release after tight release. You can listen to and purchase this EP here.

Teebs - "E S T A R A" - 2014

Teebs is a beat maker from LA that specializes in woozy, dreamlike soundscapes. He immediately caught my ear from the very first time I heard one of his tracks and positioned himself as someone who seems destined for greatness. This is considered his 2nd full length LP, and while I don't think he necessarily built on the last one and made a better LP this time around, I do think he at least maintained the same level of quality. He seems like the type of person who hasn't put out the ultimate album of his life yet, and is just getting started. This album is the perfect album for a lazy afternoon, where you just want to be carried away with your thoughts.You can listen to the full album here. You can purchase the album here.

Guilty Simpson & Oh No - "The Simpson Tape" - 2014

This was a cassette only release that Stones Throw did for the Cassette Day that was celebrated last September. Basically exactly what you would expect from these 2, which is 4 dope new songs with the instrumentals included. Check out the song "Look Alive". I got this through my subscription service, but you can also purchase either the actual tape or just the mp3's here.

Eyehategod - "Eyehategod" - 2014

Eyehategod is what I would consider a progressive sludge metal band, haling from New Orleans. I've had the pleasure of seeing them live in concert twice in my life. Once, way back in 1996, with them doing opening support for Pantera and White Zombie, and then again last year, in support of this new album. It's interesting to me that even though it was 2 different eras, and 2 different situations, and obviously 2 way different sized venues, they still brutally attacked these performances with absolute precision, and really forces you to respect them. They are obviously considered some of the earlier purveyors of sludge metal, but I think they are a lot more mathy than a lot of their contemporaries, with lots of weird timing changes and insane songwriting. The most odd thing about this is that they somehow manage to almost hide that fact within their sound, and it doesn't come off as being remotely stiff or nerdy, like a lot of music of that nature tends to be. I'm an idiot, because this album somehow slipped my mind when I was making my Top 50 list for 2014. It clearly belongs there. Check out the video for "Medicine Noose". You can purchase the album here.

BitsBits: Mystery Mix February 2015

https://www.mixcloud.com/ryanbirch54/mystery-mix-february-2015/

This month's Mystery Mix features: Frank Zappa, Matmos, Autechre, Joker, Dru Down, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Guided By Voices, John Mellencamp, Riff Raff, Goblin, Telestrion, Husker Du, Doomtree, Bill Cosby, The Polish Ambassador, MC Paul Barman, Bill Withers, Brian Eno, and The Simpsons...

Enjoy.

Blogmix: February 2015

https://www.mixcloud.com/ryanbirch54/blogmix-february-2015/

An hour of the best new music I heard in the last month. Features: Ab-Soul, Schoolboy Q, Mac Miller, Nacho Picasso, Chromeo, Boys Noize, Hudson Mohawke, Mouse On Mars, Down, Open Mike Eagle, Toy Light, Culprate, Clark, Freddie Gibbs, The World's Freshest, Run The Jewels, Big Boi, Souls Of Mischief, Adrian Younge, Milo, Scallop Hotel, Jonwayne, Traxman, 7 Days Of Funk, and Teklife

Enjoy.

Album Reviews: February 2015 Week 2

Open Mike Eagle - "Dark Comedy" - 2014

I would say that out of all the members of Hellfyre Club, Open Mike Eagle is probably the most 'normal' sounding of the crew, which isn't to say that he's normal sounding at all in relation to the rest of the music world, just that maybe he has the most accessible and friendly approach out of the people in his crew. I first became acquainted with him seeing him as an opener for Busdriver about 5 years ago, and his live set still struck a chord with me, even though I was previously unfamiliar with him. He's very comfortable on the stage and on the mic and I think that aspect of his personality comes through well on his studio material too. His voice and flow on this album reminds me of a combination of Chance The Rapper and Kool A.D. from Das Racist (who appears as a guest on a track), even though he's on his own tip. Very sing-songy, yet laid back and confident. I enjoyed his previous LP from 2012, "4NML HSPTL", well enough, but felt it was maybe a little bit uneven and half baked sounding in places. There is no issues like that with this new one at all. I could easily just sit and let this whole album ride out with no qualms, as he is able to keep a fairly constant and cohesive vibe without ever getting boring or stale. This is easily his best album to date and has me excited at the prospect of future albums going even further within this vein. I'm quite impressed at how people like Mike continue to find new ways to approach rap and keep it interesting and progressive without succumbing to being weird just for the sake of being weird. It's hard to forge new sounds and styles in the music world in this modern era and still have it be enjoyable and accessible sounding, but there is still people like Open Mike Eagle out there doing it. Anyone wanting to know more about him, I would highly recommend checking out the episode of WTF he did with Marc Maron (it isn't available as a free download anymore, sorry). Check out the videos for "Qualifiers", "A History Of Modern Dance", "Doug Stamper (Advice Raps)" (featuring Hannibal Buress), "Informations" (featuring Kool A.D.), and "Dark Comedy Morning Show" (featuring Toy Light). You can listen to the full album here. You can purchase the album here.

Souls Of Mischief - "There Is Only Now" - 2014

It's been a really, really long time since anyone in the Hieroglyphics camp has released anything that truly excited me. Pretty much since the turn of the century, it seems like all the members of the crew are content just treading water, putting out safe yet boring (to me) albums within the underground backpacker style they're known for. I think the last time any of them released anything I would actually consider dope was the first Deltron album. Enter this new Souls Of Mischief album. They've enlisted producer Adrian Younge and his arsenal of perfectly mixed live instrumentation to breathe some new life into their equation, and for the most part it works really well. The beats on this album sound glorious, and is probably his best work yet as a producer. This is a concept album where it kind of plays out like a movie with the rappers painting the pictures with words. I have to admit that my enjoyment of this album is almost solely based on the production and the storyline seems secondary to me. It's not as uninteresting as say, Organized Konfusion's failed attempt at the same type of thing, when they made "Equinox", but by the end of the album, I really don't care enough to even find out what happens to the characters. I just want to jam out to these dope beats. I think that opinion has more to do with me as a listener than their storytelling abilities though. They did a pretty good job with it. Check out the videos for "There Is Only Now" (featuring Snoop Dogg) and "Ghetto Superhero". You can listen to the full album here. You can purchase the album here.

Culprate - "Deliverance" - 2014

Culprate is an electronic producer from Bristol, UK, who is mostly known for making dubstep of a slightly progressive nature. I first discovered him a few years ago via Soundcloud and his music caught my ear, and within a couple years he was doing remixes for big names. This new album was entirely funded by an Indiegogo campaign, and it basically puts him in a completely different category of artists, as he's now moved up to upper echelon status in my eyes. He enlisted live musicians to orchestrate and manipulate sounds from, and the results come off slightly similar to Amon Tobin without sounding like he's biting at all. This is a very clean sounding album with great sound design. I love it when artists are able to metamorphosis like this and show the world that even though they were already great before, they had much more to offer. You can listen to the album here. You can purchase the album here.

Traxman - "Tekliving" - 2014

Another dope EP in Traxman's arsenal. This one has a couple alternate versions of tracks I heard elsewhere, but all of the songs are tight. It's astounding how one man could put put so many dope songs in such a sort amount of time. You can listen to this here. You can purchase this here.

Down - "Down IV: Part II" - 2014

I'm still not exactly sure why they chose to release the 4th album in 2 parts, but I really enjoy the end results. I loved the first installment, and I like this newer one even more. Phil Anselmo really is an amazing singer, and he seems so comfortable with this band. Check out the video for "We Knew Him Well". You can listen to this album here. It looks like the only places to purchase this album are the usual legal places (amazon, itunes, etc.). It's sold out at their official site.

Mouse On Mars - "Spezmodia" - 2014

This is a nice little EP. I don't it as much as their "21 Again" compilation, or their 2012 LP, but it's still a nice energetic set of songs, and a side of them you don't normally see, which is more club friendly. Of course it's still Mouse On Mars, so it's still a little goofy sounding, but that's part of the charm. Check out the video for "Cream Theme". You can purchase this album here.

Best Of 2014: Top 10

#10: Cibo Matto - "Hotel Valentine"

Triumphant comeback album from these guys. I might even like this more than the old ones.

Key track: "Deja Vu"

#9: Buck 65 - "Neverlove"

My favorite of the 3 releases he had last year, which were all good. He goes for an interesting dynamic on this one, where he's juxtaposing his usual style with choruses sung by female singers that resemble modern pop. He somehow makes it all work.

Key track: "Super Pretty Naughty"

#8: Todd Terje - "It's Album Time"

This album has got a lot of variety without going off the rails, and is beautifully produced.

Key track: "Leisure Suit Preben"

#7: Paul White - "Shaker Notes"

He really flipped the script for this album and came with something way different from his previous releases, but also kicked it up a couple notches too, and made something that almost sounds otherworldly to me.

Key track: "Where You Gonna Go?"

#6: Lana Del Rey - "Ultraviolence"

This was probably the biggest surprise of the year to me. The fact that this album is actually great. I didn't like hardly any of her older stuff at all, and thought she was very overrated when she first came out, but this album just kinda shuts me up and forces me to like her.

Key track: "Shades Of Cool"

#5: Ty Segall - "Manipulator"

I think that this is his ultimate album so far, but I also think he hasn't even made his ultimate album yet in his career. He's young and talented enough where I feel like this is just the beginning.

Key track: "The Singer"

#4: Igorrr & Ruby My Dear - "Maigre"

Igorrr is pretty much the most fascinating character in music for me within the last couple years. His production is so heavy handed and ridiculous, yet precise. It's been exactly what I want to hear. This little EP is a good collaboration and a stellar collection of songs.

Key track: "Biquette"

#3: Traxman - "Da Mind Of Traxman Vol. 2"

Out of all the dope releases he had last year, this was the crowning jewel to me. A modern classic.

Key track: "Ever & Always"

#2: Mr. Oizo - "The Church"

Yet another classic album to add to his list. It scares me how much I enjoy his music.

Key track: "Ham"

#1: Tobacco - "Ultima II Massage"

He's been my favorite artist for a while, and this is his ultimate album for sure. A home run, through and through.

Key track: "Streaker"

Best Of 2014: #20-11

#20: The Underachievers - "Cellar Door: Terminus Ut Exordium"

Super tight album from who I would consider the best younger duo out there in rap today.

Key track: "Metropolis"

#19: Down - "Down IV: Part II"

I find it odd that they released their 4th album as 2 long EP's, but I enjoy the end results. Super solid hard rock.

Key track: "We Knew Him Well"

#18: Mouse On Mars - "21 Again"

I know this was a compilation and not technically a "new" album, but I wasn't familiar with any of the tracks on here previously, and this is a damn good compilation.

Key track: "Lost & Found"

#17: DJ Q-Bert - "Extraterrestria"

He put out 2 albums this year, after years of no new releases. The other one, "Galaxxxian", was also cool, but mostly rap oriented, but THIS is the new Q-Bert album I was looking for. The illest scratches over some ridiculously dope production.

Key track: "Draconian"

#16: Blockhead - "Bells & Whistles"

Easily his best album since his debut, and definitely his most intricate album as well.

Key track: "On The Back Of A Golden Dolphin"

#15: The Budos Band - "Burnt Offering"

This is their 4th album, and they just keep getting better with each one. These are some extremely funky grooves.

Key track: "Burnt Offering"

#14: Handbraekes - "#2"

4 new tracks from the duo of Mr. Oizo and Boys Noize. I like this a little more than the first one, and I hope they continue to make these collaborations together, because they really compliment each other well.

Key track: "Bravo"

#13: Flying Lotus - "You're Dead"

This album is weird for me. It doesn't completely gel to me like all the other albums from him do, but I still deeply respect what he did here, and do still enjoy this album a lot. Good headphones or speakers are required to experience the full spectrum of what's at work here. The level of detail within the sound is astounding.

Key track: "Never Catch Me"

#12: Busdriver - "Perfect Hair

It's amazing to me that an artist like Busdriver can keep pushing his own boundaries and still be constantly evolving.

Key track: "Eat Rich"

#11: The Flaming Lips - "With A Little Help From My Fwends"

I was super skeptical about this album even being good at all, much less great, but they make it work and they make these songs their own. A psychedelic masterpiece.

Key track: "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds"

Best Of 2014: #30-21

#30: Madlib - "Rock Konducta Vol. 1 & 2"

Madlib making beats from psychedelic rock samples? Yes, please.

Key track: "Harmonia Inventions"

#29: Open Mike Eagle - "Dark Comedy"

I really enjoyed his previous album, but he improved a lot in between them, and this new one shows that growth. I feel like Mike will really be someone to watch for in the coming years, and this album might only be just the beginning.

Key track: "Dark Comedy Morning Show"

#28: Bike For Three - "So Much Forever"

Buck 65 had a pretty busy year last year, between this collaboration with Greetings From Tuskan and 2 solo albums, and all 3 projects turned out really nice. I think this is a slight step up from the first Bike For Three album, which I enjoyed a lot.

Key track: "Full Moon"

#27: Antemasque - "Antemasque"

The reunion of Cedric Bixlar-Zavala and Omar Rodriguez Lopez sounds a lot more like At The Drive In than The Mars Volta, but is still a nice middle ground in between those 2 group's sounds.

Key track: "Drown All Your Witches"

#26: Boylan - "BOYLAN ITZ 2k14 ITS TIME FOR SOME BOYLAN"

This is a super fun EP. These songs make me smile and put me in a good mood.

I can't find any links for individual songs, but you can listen to and purchase the album here.

#25: Silk Rhodes - "Silk Rhodes"

This was a nice surprise from a new artist on Stones Throw. This almost sounds like a demo tape, but like the best possible one you could hear. Very raw and low budget but still extremely listenable. Reminds me of Mayer Hawthorne, D'Angelo, and Cody Chesnutt, if that makes sense to you.

Key track: "Pains"

#24: Traxman - "The Unforgiving"

This EP really grew on me over the course of the year and kind of stood out a little within all of his releases.

Key track: "Tha Unforgiving"

#23: Ras G - "Raw Fruit Vol. 3"

I think this series just keeps getting better with each volume, and this is probably my favorite of all the series' he has going on now.

Key track" "2 Kushy"

#22: Mac DeMarco - "Salad Days"

This is a really solid rock album from a new and unique voice.

Key track: "Passing Out Pieces"

#21: The Acacia Strain - "Coma Witch"

Probably my favorite album so far from this metal band.

Key track: "Cauterizer"

Best Of 2014: #40-31

#40: The Melvins - "Hold It In"

This is probably their best album since 2008's "Nude Boots" to me. 

Key track: "Bride Of Crankenstein"

#39: Ras G - "Raw Fruit Vol. 2"

He put out a flurry of releases last year and shows no signs of slowing up. I love his psychedelic take on beatmaking.

Key track: "Altered States (SP 404)"

#38: Hail Mary Mallon - "Bestiary"

This is a fun album from the duo of Aesop Rock and Rob Sonic. I prefer it to their first album together.

Key track: "4AM"

#37: Culprate - "Deliverance"

Really impressive album from someone who had previously only been thought of as a dubstep artist, but has now escalated himself into Amon Tobin-esque territories.

Key track: "Acid Rain" 

#36: Traxman - "Slash Time"

He is another artist who put out a flurry of releases last year, all of which were good.

Key track: "Da Best Thing I Can Affar"

#35: Primus - "Primus & The Chocolate Factory with The Fungi Ensemble"

Les Claypool makes these Willy Wonka covers work, and Tim Alexander doing all the drums on household items takes this to the next level. This album makes me happy.

Key track: "Candy Man"

#34: Milo - "A Toothpaste Suburb"

This is another album that just makes me happy. His monotone raps are comforting to me.

Key track: "Salladhor Saan, Smuggler"

#33: Serengeti - "Kenny Dennis III"

Kenny Dennis is like his weirdo, comedy rap, alter-ego, and I always enjoy these releases. Having Odd Nosdam do the beats doesn't hurt either.

Key track: "No Beginner"

#32: Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - "Pinata"

I think the general public was more surprised at how dope this album is than I was. I knew Freddie Gibbs was a dope rapper and Madlib is a borderline obsession for me, so it was a no-brainer.

Key track: "Shame"

#31: Ras G - "Down 2 Earth Vol. 2 (The Standard Bap Edition)"

This is his most "normal" release. I would recommend this one to people new to him and wanting to hear one album first.

Key track: "Love & Peace / Polo Jacket & Dashiki"