Enjoy Halloween?

Oh happy day! Here's some stuff to keep you busy with today before listening to Phish's album costume tonight!
Check this halloween mixtape out from Aquarium Drunkard. Mondo Boys

Vid of the Day: Song To Sing When Im Lonely

I've been exploring the wide array of John Frusciante's (Red Hot Chili Peppers) solo career. He's one of the most talented, interesting guitar players of the last two decades. This one's off Shadows Collide With People. The acoustic version of "Song To Sing When I'm Lonely".

This is the stuff. Black Merda.

This is Black Merda (pronounced Black Murder).  This is the best release I've stumbled upon in months.  Black Merda hail from Detroit in the mid 60s early 70s, and they are the first group of black musicians to sound like this as far as I know.  What an unbelievable sound! I'll go gutsy and just claim that this is a fine blend of Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin.  I won't say anymore, but don't miss this album.

Black Merda (self titled) (1970) located in comments

Guiding Light: Television 1975

This is art-punk. These two classic Television albums come out of the New York mid-seventies punk rock scene.  I can speak for my chummy contributorsin in saying that these have always been in our go-to albums collection, frequently seeing roatation.  They're nothing new, but I found links to them and wanted to toss them out for whomever to lick up. Links in comments.

Although by no means a gloomy album, this Verlaine classic is definitely an album I consider a classic for the coming of winter.   "See no evil"an unbelievable album starter, and "Venus" is an unbelievable follower to it. Tom Verlaine's guitar tone is just so signature. If I ever had to show some aliens what in the hell rock n roll is, I might just toss on this gem.  "F-R-I-C-T-I-O-N"







If Marquee Moon is a godsend for the coming of winter, Adventure is meant for the coming of summer. Any album would have a challenge following Television's debut, but I think this one does a more than satisfactory job, and its not like they gave a crap anyway.  It is more relaxed and does not riff like Marquee, but it is a classic in its own right.
~Tony

Like a Hurricane

A few weeks ago I stumbled upon this tasty Neil nugget, after reading that it was supposedly "the best Neil Young bootleg" out there. The show was recorded on November 15, 1976 at the Auditorium Theatre, the same era that "Cortez" came into prominence and the same year our hero trotted onstage at the Last Waltz with a lil' icing on his nose. God bless America. But what I was really thrilled to hear was it is a really diverse performace which showcases Neil's multiple talents as both a songwriter and a shredder. I'll withhold my claims of its brilliance, if you promise me to to at least listen to the 9:46 "Down by the River." Got it?

Link in Comments

Aloe Blacc - Good Things

For fans of Bill Withers, Al Green, and Stevie Wonder, Aloe Blacc is THE next feel good singer-songwriter. In 95' he was the emcee for the group Emanon, and finally took off with his 2006 solo album, Shine Through. He writes swell songs and Good Things is a perfect pick-me-up for this chilly Friday morn. Enjoy! Link located in the comments.

Aloe Blacc - Femme Fatale from BOUL2BEAT on Vimeo.

Vid of the Day: Neil Young - The Old Laughing Lady

Here's Neil Young busking oustide the Apollo Theater in Scotland, playing The Old Laughing Lady on banjo for all the busy people to hear.  Footage comes from Jim Jarmusch's Crazy Horse documentary, "Year of the Horse", which I am excited to see. ~Tony


Neil Young - Old Laughing Lady (1976)
Uploaded by Julos77. - Explore more music videos.

World: Ghana Highlife

Over the past year I have absorbed a whole slue of African music, largely in part to Global Groove.  Amazingly, the continent can be divided up regionally into a vast number of music subgenres, with Western Africa (Ghana, Nigeria, Mali, and Senegal) being my personal favorite.  It is all about high-life/afro-beat in this region.  High-life is characterized my group vocals laid out over cheap guitars and a quick-paced poly rhythm section.  You can feel the humility of each band on their lo-fi recordings and it makes discovering gems of the genre that much more special.  The music is played amongst families, passed down as tradition.  It is a cruial aspect of their society and a particular band's sound speaks wonders about the family they come from.  I'll be sure to continue featuring this style in the future, but for now I've posted two favorites to get started on! ~Tony
Dr. K. Gyasi & his Noble Kings - Sikyi-Highlife,Essiebons Enterprises Ltd.

tracks;

1 Non stop medley of :
- Yede aba
- Mene menua mienu
- Sabarima
- Ebia Nie
- Amintiminim
- Siakwaa
- Nana agyei
2 Non stop medley of :
- Efie ne fie
- Nyankonton nko nyaa
- Kwankwaasem nti
- Egya ananse yi wonan baako
- Kwaadede meyare merewu
- Eda a mewu  

Promo 

 

King Onyina - Original Evergreen Tunes vol. 1,

Decca , Happy Bird

tracks;
1 Akoko aye bi agu
2 Onyame tie me su fre
3 Bebrebe ye musuo
4 Odo ye wu
5 Kate
6 Nya asem hwe
7 Me nuame mefre wo a
8 Destiny of Africa
9 Mebewu asei kwa
10 Aboa a onni dua
11 Ma ye ankonam mmobro
12 Ohia asoma wo
13 Sore befe mano
14 Dora nante yie

Promo

Breathe Owl Breathe @ Shubas in Sept.

Over the years, my musical taste has developed into such a wide range of interests that I have a hard time actually defining my "style".  What characteristic does a band need in order to surely gain my attention and respect?  What is the cheapest ticket to my heart?  The only thing that I am consistently drawn to is individual intergrity.  When I find a band that is dulcetly pleasing, all the musician needs to seal the deal is to give off the impression that he/she is in the art form/business for the right reasons.  I hope that when I meet the musician, he/she will come off as a "cool dude".  It has been of my greatest fortune, that since coming to Chicago, I have been able to see several of the musicians in which I witness utmost integrity, live.  I have seen David Bazan humbly curse himself as he forgot a couple of lyrics to a song.  I have seen Kristian Matsson (of The Tallest Man On Earth) respectfully take down several hecklers more than several notches.  I have seen Justin Vernon alter his passionate croonings from Bon Iver folk to Gayngs' sexual soul.  I have seen NOMO, a afro-jazz ensemble that takes the cake for kindest local band in Chicago, in Grant Park.  However, Breathe Owl Breathe might have been the show that impressed me the most amongst all of these special artists.

        Tim, my collegiate cohort, and I took the redline to Shubas Tavern several weekends ago to see the Breathe Owl Breathe show on a somber Sunday evening.  Strand of Oaks and Chief were the openers, but those sets are going to require an entirely fresh post.  The first thing frontman Micah Middaugh told the crowd was that he would love if everyone would take a seat and get in a comfy position.  I might add that he has a polite, quiet composure that creates a peaceful atmosphere in the entire venue (see Home video below).  The band's humble presence mixed with the tavern's candles and quiet audience made for the most quaint of settings.  The group began their set with "Lake Light" and Micah instigated the crowd to create wind/wave noises to set the mood.  Picture an entire crowd sitting on the floor indian style, whispering waves to compliment the beautiful mixture of acoustic guitar and cello, the latter played by the gifted Andréa Moreno-Beals.  Each song was performed in this manner.  It was like I was sitting amidst a story time from my childhood classrooms.  The banter between songs brought the audience together and created a connection between the band and us.  It might sound cliche, but Breathe Owl Breathe made me feel special the entire set.  For "Swimming", Micah put on goggles and flippers to accompany his swimming dance.  On "Where Wolf", Andrea put on a wolf mother hat and crooned in an uncomfortable but passionate and beautiful manner as Micah pretended to be a subconscious teenage wolf who shaved his hair in order to fit in with the humans at school.  The show was so intimate and when it all came to an end, it was hard to leave and walk back out into the windy city.  I talked to Micah afterward, almost to test whether he could really be as friendly as his stage persona related, and he impressed me yet again as we talked for a little while about fishing in Wisconsin.  This amazing group has a charity project where they are making a nonprofit storybook for children to accompany their music.  They might just be the perfect band to play this winter as you curl up with your cocoa after a day in the cold. Enjoy! ~Tony
Breathe Owl Breathe - "Across The Loch"
Breathe Owl Breathe - "Own Stunts"
Breathe Owl Breathe - "Swimming"
 Download the band's Daytrotter Session. It's supa fly.

Breathe Owl Breathe- Dogwalkers of the New Age (Live at OPB) from opbmusic.org on Vimeo.

Breathe Owl Breathe - Home from Mostly Midwest on Vimeo.

Breathe Owl Breathe - Own Stunts from Magic Central on Vimeo.

Chicago Natives: Ezra Furman & The Harpoons

Local to Chicago, Ezra Furman and his backing band, The Harpoons, have been around since about 2006.  They have a total of around four albums of material floating around, with two official releases under the Minty Fresh Records Label: Banging Down The Doors in 2007 and Inside The Human Body in 2006.  Furman races out of the gates with acoustic, high-charged rhythms on nearly every song.  He creates catchy choruses, using a passionate strain in his voice.  Although he likely regrets the comparison, there is certainly a taste of Dylan in his music, not unlike The Tallest Man On Earth or Isaac Brock from Modest Mouse.
It has comes to my attention recently that Furman plays solo shows for only $6 at Shubas in Chicago several times a month, so I plan to see him very soon.  Banging Down The Doors is filled with inventive lyrics and exciting song after exciting song (although it could benefit from a bit of variety).  Highlights on the album are "I wanna be Ignored", "How Long Diana?", and "My Soul has escaped from my body." ~Tony
Download in Comments

take off your sunglasses from 35east on Vimeo.

The SXSW Pool Sessions: Ezra Furman (1/2) from WBEZ on Vimeo.


The SXSW Pool Sessions: Ezra Furman (2/2) from WBEZ on Vimeo.
(also check out his Heroine (Velvet Underground) cover on the tube)