In the fifth and final week of Sounds Familiar Records‘ “Long Hot Summer” series of MP3’s, they’ve wrapped it up with a hot one. Rapper Author Penzwell talks about how he feels like doing what he feels like he was meant to do, while others are looking forward to him crash. With optimism, he pops off with the kind of attack that is about insulting and condemning, but with sarcastic “utmost respect”.
Monthly Archives: August 2012
AUDIO: Barbra Streisand’s “I Think It’s Going To Rain Today”
“Tin can at my feet
think I’ll kick it down the street
that’s the way to treat a friend
human kindness is overflowing
and I think it’s going to rain today”
These lines were an influence for me 11 years ago when I was putting together my Week album, and I had used a number of different versions of “I Think It’s Going To Rain Today” to show what I was feeling at the time. The song continues to live on, courtesy of an older recording that is surfacing for the first time on a brand new compilation album by Barbra Streisand. Release Me (Columbia) explores the vaults with recording sessions that were never released (or meant for release), with a wealth of material that are sure to please Streisand and pop fans. In this recording, she is backed by singer/songwriter Randy Newman, who composed this song. Before he released his own version, it had been covered by a few artists, where it would eventually take on a life of its own.
Release Me will be released on October 9th, and it will be released on vinyl.
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FREE MP3 DOWNLOAD: KR’s “Creep”
A singer from Birmingham, England named KR has done a cover of Radiohead’s first hit, “Creep”. At first I had assumed it was a remix or mash-up, since it was credited as “KR vs. Radiohead” but other than the composition itself, no actual Radiohead sound elements are in this. It’s a nice take on it, one that helps to take the song to a new place allowing it to be heard by new ears for the first time.
To hear more of KR’s work, click to his Soundcloud page.
RECORD CRACK: “Turntable Operator” fanzine #2 (review)
Anything can be an influence towards what I search for online, and as a fan of the early days and ways of radio, I discovered a blog that shined the spotlight on a fanzine he did called Paper & Radio, subtitled “A Media & Radio Zine”. Despite the fact that DJ Frederick has a blog as his forum, he has made an effort to print hard copy fanzines. As someone who once wrote, edited, printed, and dstributed my own fanzine 22 years ago, I can relate. On top of that, Paper Radio issue #10 was a double fanzine, as it also included a new publication called Turntable Operator as Paoer & Radio‘s hard copy B-side. It featured an interview with DJ Frederck, along with information what exactly is a record, and a nice article about jazz flautist Herbie Mann. A few months later, I was told that Turntable Operator #2 was available, so I purchased my copy. Less than a week later, it arrived.
At only 16 pages, it features a few articles that explore DJ Frederick’s love and interest in all that is vinyl and record players. The article about the Voyager record created for discovery in outer space may have been similar to the short-lived analog video format known as CED. The background on the Voyager is quite interesting, one only hopes NASA will be able to get their act together and continue where things left off. There’s also a cool piece on “the deep south/outer space productions” of Jack Blanchard and Misty Morgan, perhapss records you may have seen in your thrift store adventures but wasn’t aware if its value or quirks. DJ Frederick then wraps up the zine with a continuation of his vinyl origins. He also wants readers to submit their own turntable-related stories.
It’s definitely a labor of love, and I hope he’ll continue making more.
(Turntable Operator is only $2, you can purchase it from MsValerieParkDistro.com or contact him through two of his blogs:
Paper Radio Zine
One Minute Zine Reviews.)
AUDIO: Wadada Leo Smith & Louis Moholo-Moholo’s “Moholo-Moholo/Golden Spirit”
Ancestors (TUM) is the forthcoming album from trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith and percussionist Louis Moholo-Moholo, and you get a chance to hear a track from it before its official release on October 18th. While the two musicians have collaborated many times in a live setting, they’ve never recorded a full album project until now.
While jazz fans familiar with Smith tend to be open to what he offers, this collaboration with Moholo-Moholo will be a new one, not only for its hybrid of sounds and influences from the motherland. While it may be rooted in Africa, Smith says that Moholo-Moholo has created his own drum language, so if you are a fan of the drums and percussion, check out the song below and figure out what both of them are trying to say.
FREE MP3 DOWNLOAD: Why?’s “Jonathan’s Hope”
If you are a regular visitor of ThisIsBooksMusic.com, first of all: thank you. Second of all, you may know that Why? are regularly featured here, not only because I’m a fan but because they frequently do things. Repeat visits here means you have seen their faces many times before, so for a bit of variety, I’d like to show you their shoes. Why? Yes.
Third of all, you may have heard that Why? are releasing a new album in October called Mumps, etc. (City Slang/Anticon). You may also know that they are on tour, in fact they’re doing a show tonight. This will lead them to Seattle this weekend for Bumbershoot, and they’ll be trailblazing like Portland as they do shows up through early November. Where? Exactly:
August 30 San Francisco, CA: Great American Music Hall
August 31 Arcata, CA: Arcata Playhouse
September 1 Portland, OR: Wonder Ballroom
September 2 Seattle, WA: Bumbershoot Festival
September 3 Boise, ID: Reef
September 4 Salt Lake City, UT: In the Venue
September 5 Englewood, CO: The Gothic
September 6 Omaha, NE: The Waiting Room
September 7 Lawrence, KS: The Granada
September 8 Minneapolis, MN: Cedar Cultural Center
September 9 Chicago, IL: Lincoln Hall
September 10 Cleveland, OH: Beachland Ballroom
September 11 Ithaca, NY: The Haunt
September 12 Cambridge, MA: Middle East
September 13 Brooklyn, NY: Music Hall of Williamsburg
September 14 Philadelphia, PA: Union Transfer
September 15 Durham, NC: Motorco Music Hall
September 16 Asheville, NC: Grey Eagle
September 17 Atlanta, GA: The Earl
September 18 Nashville, TN: Mercy Lounge
October 5 Düsseldorf, Germany: New Fall Festival
October 6 Evreux, France: L’Abordage
October 7 Paris, France: Maroquinerie
October 8 Brighton, England: Old Market
October 9 London, England: Electric Ballroom
October 10 Manchester, England: Central Methodist Church
October 11 Bristol, England: Fleece
October 12 Glasgow, Scotland: SWG3
October 13 Oxford, England: The Bullingdon
October 15 Berlin, Germany: Volksbühne
October 18 Cincinnati, OH Lois & Richard Rosethal Center for Contemporary Art Black Box Theatre
October 20 Pittsburgh, PA Altar
October 24 Richmond, VA Canal Club
October 25 Athens, GA 40 Watt
October 26 Jacksonville, FL Jack Rabbits
October 27 Orlando, FL The Social
October 28 Tampa, FL Crowbar
October 29 Tallahassee, FL Club Downunder
October 30 Mobile, AL Alabama Music Box
October 31 Baton Rouge, LA Spanish Moon
November 1 Houston, TX Walter’s
November 2 Dallas, TX Sons of Hermann Hall
November 3 Austin, TX Fun Fun Fun Fest
November 5 St. Louis, MO Luminary Arts
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VIDEO: John Cale’s “Face To The Sky”
John Cale may not be the first name you think of when it comes to people making new music, but when it’s seen, it comes as a pleasant surprise. Here is the Velvet Underground man taking things in a slightly new way in “Face To The Sky”. What’s new about it? It’s dance pop, but done in an adventurous way, the only way Cale could do it, and it works. The song is from Cale’s forthcoming Double Six/Domino album called Shifty Adventures in Nookie Wood, due out October 2nd.
Cale will be on tour through the new year, which includes a string of shows in New York City that will include a tribute to Nico, and two shows dedicated to his Paris 1919 album, which will celebrate its 40th anniversary next year. See him if you can, or make the effort to do so:
September 21 – Chicago, IL @ Riverfront Theatre [Brilliant Corners of Popular Amusements]
October 3 – Dublin, IE @ Button Factory
October 5 – Edinburgh, UK @ HMV Piture House
October 6 – Manchester, UK @ Ritz Manchester
October 7 – Cardiff, UK @ Coal Exchange
October 11 – Digbeth, UK @ HMV Institute
October 13 – London, UK @ Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre
October 14 – Cologne, DE @ Gloria-Theater
October 16 – Berlin, DE @ Passionskirche Kreuzberg
October 18 – Munich, DE @ Freiheiz
October 19 – Basel, Switzerland @ Reithalle
October 21 – Esch Sur Alzette, LU @ Rockhal
October 22 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
October 23 – Hamburg, DE @ Kampnagel
January 16, 2013 – Brooklyn, NY @ BAM [Life Along The Borderline – tribute to NICO]
January 18, 2013 – Brooklyn, NY @ BAM [When Past & Future Collide: Paris 1919]
January 19, 2013 – Brooklyn, NY @ BAM [When Past & Future Collide: Paris 1919]
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VIDEO: DaVinci’s “Paper Power Pussy”
It’s one thing to have a sexy lady in your kitchen rolling a joint for the both of you to smoke after the video shoot, but when you say “paper, power, pussy on myr motherfuckin’ mind” in front of her, is that okay for everybody? A part of me wants to say “have some manners, man” but the other part of me says “lick the Zig Zag’s and have a blowback near her anus”. The track and video are both laid back, and jokes aside, I really like this. Paper, power, or pussy? Why not have all three, if you can maintain them while remaining sane? The song is from his forthcoming The MOEna Lisa project.
SOME STUFFS: Generationals do not get irrational in their music, and will prove it on their forthcoming EP
Generationals are a pop duo that sounds more like 1982 than 2012, but perhaps this show how the music of 30 years ago holds up incredibly well today. Grant Widmer and Ted Joyner will be releasing a new 3-song EP on October 2nd called Lucky Numbers, and with an EP comes a tour where they’ll be playing the new along with older material fans have come to love. New to them but would like to become a Generationals veteran? See them:
October 4 – Carbondale, IL – The Hanger 9 *
October 5 – Lexington, KY – Cosmic Charlie’s *
October 6 – Nashville, TN – The High Watt *
October 7 – St. Louis, MO – Off Broadway *
October 9 – Minneapolis, MN – Cedar Cultural Center *
October 10 – Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon *
October 11 – Chicago, IL – Schubas *
October 12 – Cleveland Heights, OH – Grog Shop *
October 13 – State College, PA – Chronic Town *
October 14 – Rochester, NY – Bug Jar *
October 16 – Cambridge, MA – TT The Bear’s Place *
October 19 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s +
October 20- Washington DC – The Red Palace +
October 21 – Chapel Hill, NC – Local 506 +
October 23 – Asheville, NC – Grey Eagle +
October 24 – Atlanta, GA – The Earl +
October 25 – Birmingham, AL – The Bottletree +
November 3 – New Orleans, LA – Tipitina’s
November 4 – Dallas, TX – LaGrange
November 6 – Denver, CO – Hi Dive ^
November 7 – Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge ^
November 8 – Boise, ID – Neurolux ^
November 9 – Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern ^
November 11 – Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios ^
November 13 – San Francisco, CA – Cafe Du Nord ^
November 14 – Los Angeles, CA – The Echo ^
November 16 – San Diego, CA – The Casbah
November 17 – Phoenix, AZ – The Crescent Ballroom ^
November 18 – Tucson, AZ – Club Congress ^
November 20 – Austin, TX – The Mohawk ^
November 21 – Houston, TX – Fitzgerald’s ^
* with Devin
+ with Maus Haus
^ with RACES
The title track for the EP can be heard here. This is your signal to listen.
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FREE MP3 DOWNLOAD: Soviet’s “Lost When Found”
Soviet is the moniker Keith Ruggiero used to make music, something he has done since the late 1990’s, and in 2012 he has contributed his talents to create the soundtrack to Life Begins at Rewirement. Musically, Ruggiero says it’s a nice blend of analog and digital sonic fantasies, which tends to compliment what the film is about. Interested? You can download one of the songs from the soundtrack, called “Lost When Found” (5.06mb), which reminds me a bit of Vangelis meets all of the cool incidental soundtrack music of the early 80’s that was meant to say ‘this is the sound of the future’. The future is today. Dated and celebrated for you.
This Is Book's Music 