The CMG Scenecast: Columbus, OH
(originally from http://www.cokemachineglow.com/scenecast/no4columbus.html)
1. Copywrite: “(O.H.) Ten Times”
> (0:01 - 3:51)
> From Cruise Control, Vol. 1 (Nature Sounds; 2004)
Okay, so maybe Copywrite hasn’t grown a ton. In fact, he might have been less obnoxious back when he was a member of MHz, the godfather group of Columbus hip-hop that also included Rjd2, Camu Tao, and Jakki tha Motamouth. This is an exemplary DJ Przm beat, though, all dirty guitar riffs and lo-fi drums with dying robot noises on the hook; and it is called “(O.H.) Ten Times” (OH10, get it?), so how else am I gonna kick this thing off? I mean, seriously. And Copy does drop some truth: “Ten times out of ten I’m in a Benz that’s rented.”
2. Walter Rocktight: “Make Love”
> (3:52 - 7:51)
> Unreleased
At one point Illogic and Walter Rocktight were supposed to drop a project under the name 8076 on Rhymesayers. If the song “Time Is Coming” from Illogic’s Write to Death 2 (2005) and the rare “Wha’ll Out” 7-inch were anything to go by, “8076” equals how many times I would have listened to that record in the first week. But a rumored falling out means that that particular slab of heat will probably never materialize, and I’ll be left to dream. This song features K-Rigga, a rapper so far under the radar he’s Bustown’s Red October. And it’s too bad because -- while lacking Illogic’s eloquence -- he raps with an energetic wheeze and a penchant for colorful non-sequiturs, thus falling somewhere between Jadakiss and Lil Wayne without the dull stupidity of the former and the fetching insanity of the latter. But it’s Rocktight’s beat that stars here, opening with a Prefuse-worthy sequence of chops and then throwing itself into sinewy synth grind churning in the low-end, Neptunesy drums (circa “Hot in Herre”), and vibrant fragments of samples that add perfect punctuation.
3. Ree-Dic: “58”
> (7:52 - 12:44)
> Unreleased
Here’s K-Rigga on the mic again, this time with a more relaxed flow and a denser notebook scribble. After dropping at least five great beats on Zero Star’s last album, Field Squad beatsmith Ree-Dic wrote his own name down in my ledger of producers to watch. His work with V-Hyphen is excellent, his work with Zero even better, and the peep show he provided in his beat battle with Dyne last year tantalized with the promise of plenty more hot shit where that stuff came from. Breaks, iridescent samples, bass lines that play Lego with your spine: it’s not surprising that most conversations with Ree-Dic involve the kid incanting the name of Primo. But I wouldn’t call him a follower, and if there’s any close comparison it’d probably be to Black Milk, his contemporary in Detroit (plus the two look like they could be brothers). The easy movement of this “58” beat is plain gorgeous, the drums gliding forward on top of wah chirps that could be from Spandau Ballet’s “True” with gauzy horns that could be from Marvin Gaye, to whom “True” paid tribute. As far as Columbus is concerned, Ree-Dic is on some Greg Oden rookie status.
4. Blueprint: “Boombox”
> (12:45 - 17:35)
> From 1988 (Rhymesayers; 2005)
And Blueprint’s the vet. Print’s provided beats for half of every Columbus hip-hop track worth noting, and this is one of the highlights of his solo rapping-and-producing debut. Out of everything on the record “Boombox” best capitalizes on the taking it back to ‘88 concept; it manages to bridge the then with the now by keeping the form, tone, and reference points but updating the aesthetic whole. Apt to its title, “Boombox” sounds both huge and gritty, a descending electric riff and ringing piano chords echoing through a block’s worth of city air. Print slowly snarls his way through the verses and hook, the aggression laconic. And the aftershocks that tremble through the piano line at the end make for a great cross-fade with the next track on this scenecast.
5. Greenhouse Effect: “You Must Learn”
> (17:36 - 21:31)
> From Columbus or Bust (Weightless; 2005)
Along with the beats for Cryptic One’s “Intricate Schemes,” Illogic’s “First Trimester,” and his own “Liberated,” Blueprint proves on “You Must Learn” that he just might be the master of the dark, ethereal hip-hop vibe now that’s DJ Shadow moved on to hyphy. Hip-hop music’s about simple, effective composition; Print’s one of the few producers that fully understands that at the same time that he’s working with semi-experimental source elements and tweaking the edges with stutters and delay chains. “You Must Learn” sort of has to be heard to be believed, a dazzling pulsar of looped piano, synth phases, and tape manipulation over a 1-2 kick, sneezing high-hat, and wet claps -- all things considered and congealed into a tight head-nod that still functions just fine as backing music for the raps of Fess, Print, and Jakki. This also happens to be Jakki’s best verse ever.
6. Jakki tha Motamouth: “Get Your Weight Up”
> (21:32 - 24:18)
> From More Music, Less Bullshit: Volume One (Weightless; 2006)
This is how tha Motamouth typically raps, and if you’re familiar with Rjd2’s “F.H.H.,” you’ll know what I mean: the cat’s all attitude. So I advise that you listen to this as part three in this scenecast’s Blueprint suite. The drums are pretty much just a centered fulcrum to the wild string runs, which are either a sped-up, fucked-with sample or a synth patch awesome enough to make me think that it just might be a sped-up, fucked-with sample. Regardless, the allegro movement teeters back and forth, swinging like a metronome to peer down on either side of the beat’s divide. It’s a dizzying piece of 4/4 vertigo.
7. Zero Star: “Help is on the Way”
> (24:19 - 26:59)
> From Forever’s Never Really That Long (Weightless; 2006)
Taking its title from the catchphrase of Columbus’ most famous will-rap-for-food panhandler, “Help is on the Way” is the quintessential Bustown hip-hop song. The other producer featured on Forever’s Never Really That Long besides Ree-Dic and DJ Przm, Blueprint takes a decided backseat to Zero’s scene-sketching, but the low-key melody of his beat sticks with you. And Zero’s lyrics evoke the Columbus life in a way that few other rappers have been able to manage.
8. Illogic: “Celestial Clockwork”
> (27:00 - 30:19)
> From Celestial Clockwork (Weightless; 2004)
Illogic’s very flow evokes Columbus, though, its rhythm the tugging of introspection and composure trying to find a home for frustrated ambitions. This, the title track from what I believe to be the finest hip-hop album to come out of Columbus, shows Illogic firing on all cylinders, tying abstractions, images, and pointed puns into a bundle of melancholic weight that plummets through the ocean of Blueprint’s reverb-saturated sample. Multi-tracked on the one instance of the track’s hook, Illogic intones, “It disappoints that conjoint twins / are more individuals than most / So why haunt the industry as a phantom / ‘til all my words become ghosts?” Yeah, it’s kind of like poetry slam, but it’s the best, most musical poetry slam you’ve ever heard.
9. Eyamme: “I Can Only Give You Love”
> (30:20 - 34:16)
> From Write to Death 2: The Missing Pieces (Dove Ink; 2005)
This is more of the same for Illogic, but while Eyamme (pronounced “I-am-me”) gives him something just as moody as Blueprint’s work on Celestial Clockwork, the style is very different -- and in some ways equally impressive. The track’s daring in how it switches gears with increasing frequency between a horn line and acoustic loop that contrast each other, and there are even points where Eyamme creates deft overlaps between those two main ingredients and the sample that croons the song title. Eyamme’s been putting out a fair amount of music on his upstart Dove Ink label, but I think this beat represents the pinnacle of his work to date.
10. NPayshint: “Seems Like”
> (34:17 - 37:44)
> From Dangerous Styles (TBA; 2007, hopefully)
Okay, again, more like Dangerzone featuring NPayshint, but I’ll talk about the Zone more on the next track. NPayshint keeps a pretty low profile, yet every once and a while he’ll drop a verse on some excellent track like this or “Turn It Up” from Envelope’s Insignificant Anthems (2005) -- the latter you can hear on CMG’s February 2006 podcast, by the way. My nominee for “Most Improved Producer Since His Early Work” (sorry, Ant), Amos Famous drops some lump-in-your-throat shit with this tune, a hazy blend of horns and keys doling out wistful nostalgia for the streaming of late afternoon sunshine through school windows, the sun you just studied in science class making halogen specks out of the dead skin and pencil shavings that fill the room’s air. Air that’s about 78% nitrogen and 20% oxygen, if Mrs. Anderson can be trusted. And if NPayshint can be trusted, maybe 2% marijuana. His verse opens the track, and it’s probably the best rap I’ve heard about smoking one’s way through high school: “I sit in the back / of my classroom / with a spliff in the shoe / and ask for the bathroom pass / to skip for two / periods at a time / Blunt smoke left periods in my eye.”
11. Dangerzone: “Started Out”
> (37:45 - 41:00)
> Unreleased
Dangerzone is Columbus’ Amos Famous on the boards and Cleveland’s Bru Lei on the mic, a rambunctious duo with a mid-‘90s rap vibe and a strong debut record (judging by one listen to the master copy) that they’re currently label-shopping out in California. Dangerous Styles will feature Illogic on a track where the hook is a laundry list of addictions, Zero Star doing rap-rock, and a closing song that’s an ode to videogames; it will not, however, feature “Started Out,” so grab this track now. Bru sprays his spit all over the place and Amos playfully works a barrage of Disney samples over a flexible drum track that can accommodate all the flutes and animated birds and, uh, turntable scratching. I think there’s a clip of Snow White singing. Shit’s pretty much bonkers.
12. Envelope: “Don’t You Let Him”
> (41:01- 44:50)
> From Self-titled EP (Easter Island; 2007)
Tony Collinger’s about as unassuming and gracious a rapper as you can meet, and he’s one of the few underground talents that’s as funny as he tries to be. Like, just the way he opens this song with a greeting of “Good morning, America,” the way you can almost hear him bat his eyes once and do a silent lip smack, is fucking funny. The little bits of dialogue incorporated into the body of the track are somehow funny: “Give me a dollar…give me a kiss…give me the time of day?” And, yeah, the punchlines are funny, too: “You got the crowd sitting still like you taking a picture.” Amos Famous struck gold with the titular sample, so it’s one of those situations where all he needs to do is loop it adequately with some unobtrusive drums. And then I put it on endless repeat.
13. DJ Przm: “Don’t Go”
> (44:51 - 47:37)
> From The Off the Clock EP (Fonoslut; 2004)
Obviously, there’s no other song that could have ended this scenecast.
R.I.P, Racist Joe and DJ Przm.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Sunday, March 11, 2007
The CMG Scenecast: Iowa City, IA
The CMG Scenecast: Iowa City, IA
[Originally from: http://www.cokemachineglow.com/scenecast/no3iowacity.html]
1. The Wheelers: “Ibis (Demo Version)”
(0:01 - 3:29)
Unreleased
Welcome back to the '90s. “Ibis” is vintage grunge, with heavy guitars and screaming lyrics that channel Stephen Malkmus and Frank Black. I hope “demo version” will eventually be dropped from the title; this song’s roughness is absolutely one of its strengths -- especially in the guitar solo. Crank this up, and then crank it up even more for the last 45 seconds. Blisteringly good.
2. Bad Fathers: "Kith Me On The Lisp"
(3:30 - 6:44)
From Angels In The Chamber (Rosemary Records; 2005)
The Bad Fathers posit themselves as Iowa City’s live hip-hop bad-boys: imposing mohawks, endless consumption of beer, and a hit-and-run strategy with the fairer sex. But in reality they go much deeper than cartoonish caricature. This pensive track showcases their ability to reflect beneath the surface. It also reminds us that hip-hop tracks recorded by live bands can be just as killer as programmed beats. Think: the Roots caught in a decadent Midwestern adolescence. This song is my soundtrack for 2007.
3. William Elliott Whitmore: “The Chariot”
(6:45 - 9:59)
From Song of the Blackbird (Southern; 2006)
Whilliam Elliott Whitmore has Iowa in his blood, and he packs houses with his growling Americana and huge stage presence. Song of the Blackbird adds clean production to his tracks, creating a wide, more expansive space for his Midwest soundscapes. “The Chariot” kills it with a beautiful piano and Whitmore’s dirt-in-your-fingernails style. Also well worth checking out is Hallways of Always, a collaboration with his former Iowa roommate Jenny Hoyston of Erase Errata.
4. Skursula: "Beekeeper"
(10:00 - 14:31)
From an untitled forthcoming LP in 2007
Skursula is on the bleeding edge of Iowa City’s chamber-rock scene. These two ladies -- one on violin and vocals, the other on cello -- take the best parts of their music theory backgrounds and mix them with energetic indie-rock flavor. They are one of the hottest and most interesting bands in town, sometimes joined by guest percussionists but most effective as a sharp and often surprising duo.
5. Miracles of God: “(You Better) Shake That Ass”
(14:32 - 17:02)
From Miracles of God II (self-released; 2007)
Miracles of God was the brainchild of Sam Locke Ward and Jason Hennesy, who alternate writing duties for the band. This is one of Hennesy’s tracks, and you can just feel it busting out of its rock and roll skin to be full-on dance anthem. The production keeps it loose and edgy, complimenting its own passive-aggressive nastiness. Every song they’ve ever recorded is available here.
6. Ft. (The Shadow Government): "Dong Is My Autopilot"
(17:03 - 20:36)
From an untitled forthcoming LP
This band reminds us to question complacency. Although they boast members from Iowa City to Chicago, these musicians are crucial factors in our town’s under-underground. Their music is challenging and often politically subversive. Killer rhythms, walls of noise, and anti-government messages are Shadow Gov’t staples. When not playing shows, some of their members book eclectic bands to play local all-ages shows in an effort to bring left-of-center and passed over music to the ears of unknowing.
7. Coyote Blood: "Waiting For The Sun/Our Sun is the Sky"
(20:37 - 25:13)
Unreleased
Lo-fi and lovely, this Iowa City duo seems to live in a world of perpetual Kentucky Bourbon hangovers. Book them in a club with a state-of-the-art sound system and they don’t give a damn: they’ll set up on the floor with their minimal drum kit, guitar, and accordion and sing (mic-less) those whiskey ballads into yer ears for twenty or so minutes. Then they’re off to some bar that’s much too authentic for you and your faux-hipster posturing. And by you, I mean me. The first half of this cover track is yet another subtle reason for us to reconsider the power of the Doors.
8. Death Ships: “Story Never Gets Old”
(25:14 - 29:14)
From Seeds of Devastation (Faithful Anchor Tape Club; 2006)
This is the poppiest song on Death Ships captivating debut, a captivating country-rock album that has the band gaining well-deserved recognition from national fans as well as labels (Faithful Anchor a fake name; the album is self-released). Maloney’s vocals and the bouncy piano nail this one, showcasing the hooks that make these guys single-handedly the band everyone is waiting for to make it big.
9. The Envy Corps: "Rhinemaidens"
(29:15 - 33:23)
From an untitled forthcoming LP (Vertigo; 2007)
Technically, the Envy Corps, hail from the Ames/Des Moines area but they really belong to the entire state of Iowa. Poppier than Radiohead, more authentic than Coldplay, this band has struck a wonderful balance with their anthem-rock theatrics. They recently signed to Vertigo Records (The Killers) and recorded their debut album in England. “Rhinemaidens,” with its dancey beat and soaring vocals, is an Envy Corps staple.
10. Ed Gray: “Baby Bird”
(33:24 - 37:13)
From The Late Gray Ed Great (Hot Potato; 2006)
“Baby Bird” is the opening track on Gray’s latest LP, an album filled with folk/rock gems that reminiscent of Neko Case and Tom Waits. This song is a rhythmic, passionate love ballad, showcasing Gray’s skill as a lyricist. A line like “the stray dogs you throw scraps to / are used to eating shit” is indicative of the sardonic wit and weathered wisdom that Gray dispenses.
11.The Tanks: "Blood In My Eyes"
(37:14 - 40:14)
From Summer Creature (Floodwater Records; 2006)
Iowa City’s self-proclaimed rriot-ggguys, the Tanks bring the noise like a Washington, DC 1980’s basement-show a flashback. Their bassist is so good this trio (bass, drums, vox) decided against a guitarist. Vocalist Kevin Koppes takes his lyrical cues from Henry Rollins and shout his words upside your head with quite a literate touch. When asked in a recent interview what to expect at the next Tanks show, Koppes replied, “Just bring your knives…there’s gonna be a ‘biggest knife contest’. Don’t cheat: no swords. I’m talking knives, dude.” Although they are daunting, even scary at times, they are some of Iowa City’s nicest people.
12. Illinois John Fever: "Wonderland"
(40:15 - 43:22)
Unreleased
These two guys are new to the scene but their live shows have already begun decimating unsuspecting audiences. Their weapons: Acoustic guitar with slide, a drum kit, and two voices. Their theme: the impending apocalypse. Their channel: dirty-ass blues. “Wonderland” captures Illinois John Fever’s powerhouse energy. It makes you feel like you might have actually train-hopped and lived life the hard way back in the days of the Dustbowl.
13. Escape the Floodwater Jug Band: “Jug Band Music”
(43:23 - 45:13)
From Whiskey Will Fix It (Super Amigos; 2007)
I saw Escape the Floodwater for the first time in someone’s basement not long after I arrived here, and it was a perfect venue for their acoustic jug-band revival act. Their debut LP captures that “down home” sound and the tongue-in-cheekiness with which they approach their craft (besides requisite jug solo, this track features the “glug-glug” sound of someone drinking). Super Amigos records is fast establishing themselves as the local powerhouse label, and buying this record will get you a homemade, hand-numbered gem of a record.
14. Caleb Engstrom: “Light in the Room”
(45:14 - 47:59)
From the forthcoming A Mountain or a Bird (Self-released; 2007)
Caleb Engstrom is the local Renaissance man, splitting his time between the visual arts and writing indie-folk songs. Some musicians just want to rock you into oblivion while Engstrom opts for layers of beautiful sounds. “Light In The Room” from his forthcoming LP is a good introduction to an artist who has built a solid local following that will hopefully spread across the country.
15. Lonelyhearts:”Overpass”
(48:00 - 54:16)
From the forthcoming Disaster Footage at Night (Three Ring Records; 2007)
Lonelyhearts is a long-distance romance between my esteemed colleague Andre Perry and San Francisco’s John Lindenbaum. “Overpass” is indicative of their sound, weaving dense layers of synth with sophisticated narratives about devastating losses. It’s country music with a flair for musical complexity, and has already been noticed on the San Francisco compilation At the Crossroads. Here’s your chance to grab that “big finale” that will seal the deal on your next mix tape.
[Originally from: http://www.cokemachineglow.com/scenecast/no3iowacity.html]
1. The Wheelers: “Ibis (Demo Version)”
(0:01 - 3:29)
Unreleased
Welcome back to the '90s. “Ibis” is vintage grunge, with heavy guitars and screaming lyrics that channel Stephen Malkmus and Frank Black. I hope “demo version” will eventually be dropped from the title; this song’s roughness is absolutely one of its strengths -- especially in the guitar solo. Crank this up, and then crank it up even more for the last 45 seconds. Blisteringly good.
2. Bad Fathers: "Kith Me On The Lisp"
(3:30 - 6:44)
From Angels In The Chamber (Rosemary Records; 2005)
The Bad Fathers posit themselves as Iowa City’s live hip-hop bad-boys: imposing mohawks, endless consumption of beer, and a hit-and-run strategy with the fairer sex. But in reality they go much deeper than cartoonish caricature. This pensive track showcases their ability to reflect beneath the surface. It also reminds us that hip-hop tracks recorded by live bands can be just as killer as programmed beats. Think: the Roots caught in a decadent Midwestern adolescence. This song is my soundtrack for 2007.
3. William Elliott Whitmore: “The Chariot”
(6:45 - 9:59)
From Song of the Blackbird (Southern; 2006)
Whilliam Elliott Whitmore has Iowa in his blood, and he packs houses with his growling Americana and huge stage presence. Song of the Blackbird adds clean production to his tracks, creating a wide, more expansive space for his Midwest soundscapes. “The Chariot” kills it with a beautiful piano and Whitmore’s dirt-in-your-fingernails style. Also well worth checking out is Hallways of Always, a collaboration with his former Iowa roommate Jenny Hoyston of Erase Errata.
4. Skursula: "Beekeeper"
(10:00 - 14:31)
From an untitled forthcoming LP in 2007
Skursula is on the bleeding edge of Iowa City’s chamber-rock scene. These two ladies -- one on violin and vocals, the other on cello -- take the best parts of their music theory backgrounds and mix them with energetic indie-rock flavor. They are one of the hottest and most interesting bands in town, sometimes joined by guest percussionists but most effective as a sharp and often surprising duo.
5. Miracles of God: “(You Better) Shake That Ass”
(14:32 - 17:02)
From Miracles of God II (self-released; 2007)
Miracles of God was the brainchild of Sam Locke Ward and Jason Hennesy, who alternate writing duties for the band. This is one of Hennesy’s tracks, and you can just feel it busting out of its rock and roll skin to be full-on dance anthem. The production keeps it loose and edgy, complimenting its own passive-aggressive nastiness. Every song they’ve ever recorded is available here.
6. Ft. (The Shadow Government): "Dong Is My Autopilot"
(17:03 - 20:36)
From an untitled forthcoming LP
This band reminds us to question complacency. Although they boast members from Iowa City to Chicago, these musicians are crucial factors in our town’s under-underground. Their music is challenging and often politically subversive. Killer rhythms, walls of noise, and anti-government messages are Shadow Gov’t staples. When not playing shows, some of their members book eclectic bands to play local all-ages shows in an effort to bring left-of-center and passed over music to the ears of unknowing.
7. Coyote Blood: "Waiting For The Sun/Our Sun is the Sky"
(20:37 - 25:13)
Unreleased
Lo-fi and lovely, this Iowa City duo seems to live in a world of perpetual Kentucky Bourbon hangovers. Book them in a club with a state-of-the-art sound system and they don’t give a damn: they’ll set up on the floor with their minimal drum kit, guitar, and accordion and sing (mic-less) those whiskey ballads into yer ears for twenty or so minutes. Then they’re off to some bar that’s much too authentic for you and your faux-hipster posturing. And by you, I mean me. The first half of this cover track is yet another subtle reason for us to reconsider the power of the Doors.
8. Death Ships: “Story Never Gets Old”
(25:14 - 29:14)
From Seeds of Devastation (Faithful Anchor Tape Club; 2006)
This is the poppiest song on Death Ships captivating debut, a captivating country-rock album that has the band gaining well-deserved recognition from national fans as well as labels (Faithful Anchor a fake name; the album is self-released). Maloney’s vocals and the bouncy piano nail this one, showcasing the hooks that make these guys single-handedly the band everyone is waiting for to make it big.
9. The Envy Corps: "Rhinemaidens"
(29:15 - 33:23)
From an untitled forthcoming LP (Vertigo; 2007)
Technically, the Envy Corps, hail from the Ames/Des Moines area but they really belong to the entire state of Iowa. Poppier than Radiohead, more authentic than Coldplay, this band has struck a wonderful balance with their anthem-rock theatrics. They recently signed to Vertigo Records (The Killers) and recorded their debut album in England. “Rhinemaidens,” with its dancey beat and soaring vocals, is an Envy Corps staple.
10. Ed Gray: “Baby Bird”
(33:24 - 37:13)
From The Late Gray Ed Great (Hot Potato; 2006)
“Baby Bird” is the opening track on Gray’s latest LP, an album filled with folk/rock gems that reminiscent of Neko Case and Tom Waits. This song is a rhythmic, passionate love ballad, showcasing Gray’s skill as a lyricist. A line like “the stray dogs you throw scraps to / are used to eating shit” is indicative of the sardonic wit and weathered wisdom that Gray dispenses.
11.The Tanks: "Blood In My Eyes"
(37:14 - 40:14)
From Summer Creature (Floodwater Records; 2006)
Iowa City’s self-proclaimed rriot-ggguys, the Tanks bring the noise like a Washington, DC 1980’s basement-show a flashback. Their bassist is so good this trio (bass, drums, vox) decided against a guitarist. Vocalist Kevin Koppes takes his lyrical cues from Henry Rollins and shout his words upside your head with quite a literate touch. When asked in a recent interview what to expect at the next Tanks show, Koppes replied, “Just bring your knives…there’s gonna be a ‘biggest knife contest’. Don’t cheat: no swords. I’m talking knives, dude.” Although they are daunting, even scary at times, they are some of Iowa City’s nicest people.
12. Illinois John Fever: "Wonderland"
(40:15 - 43:22)
Unreleased
These two guys are new to the scene but their live shows have already begun decimating unsuspecting audiences. Their weapons: Acoustic guitar with slide, a drum kit, and two voices. Their theme: the impending apocalypse. Their channel: dirty-ass blues. “Wonderland” captures Illinois John Fever’s powerhouse energy. It makes you feel like you might have actually train-hopped and lived life the hard way back in the days of the Dustbowl.
13. Escape the Floodwater Jug Band: “Jug Band Music”
(43:23 - 45:13)
From Whiskey Will Fix It (Super Amigos; 2007)
I saw Escape the Floodwater for the first time in someone’s basement not long after I arrived here, and it was a perfect venue for their acoustic jug-band revival act. Their debut LP captures that “down home” sound and the tongue-in-cheekiness with which they approach their craft (besides requisite jug solo, this track features the “glug-glug” sound of someone drinking). Super Amigos records is fast establishing themselves as the local powerhouse label, and buying this record will get you a homemade, hand-numbered gem of a record.
14. Caleb Engstrom: “Light in the Room”
(45:14 - 47:59)
From the forthcoming A Mountain or a Bird (Self-released; 2007)
Caleb Engstrom is the local Renaissance man, splitting his time between the visual arts and writing indie-folk songs. Some musicians just want to rock you into oblivion while Engstrom opts for layers of beautiful sounds. “Light In The Room” from his forthcoming LP is a good introduction to an artist who has built a solid local following that will hopefully spread across the country.
15. Lonelyhearts:”Overpass”
(48:00 - 54:16)
From the forthcoming Disaster Footage at Night (Three Ring Records; 2007)
Lonelyhearts is a long-distance romance between my esteemed colleague Andre Perry and San Francisco’s John Lindenbaum. “Overpass” is indicative of their sound, weaving dense layers of synth with sophisticated narratives about devastating losses. It’s country music with a flair for musical complexity, and has already been noticed on the San Francisco compilation At the Crossroads. Here’s your chance to grab that “big finale” that will seal the deal on your next mix tape.
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