After Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde I am enjoying another classic rap album: The Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest. Enjoying is too soft of a term because TCQ second effort is the best hip-hop album I have ever listened to. Q-Tip and Phife rhymes, the lyrics, the beats, the jazz atmosphere, the production… all those elements contribute to create a masterpiece, a flawless album.
“You on point Phife?
All the time, Tip”
For the Apple category the highest rank goes to John Gruber’s Daring Fireball.
TUAW gets the second position and AppleInsider the third one.
I have started the year listening to hip-hop/rap music and I can’t stop! Stones Throw Records is an excellent label that I have get used to dig since J Dilla Donuts was released in February 2006. Those were also the times when I first listened to The Third Unheard: Connecticut Hip Hop, 1979-1983. The compilation was my entry into old-school rap.
Back to the beginning of my story. Usually I listened to hip-hop from time to time. So what happened? I guess it was mainly because of what I read on Stones Throw website about Peanut Butter Wolf’s 45 live box set release and also that video of Otha Fish live on the Rhyme Library. The former lead me to more and more old-school listenings like the First Generation Rap compilations, the latter introduced me to The Pharcyde. Before that I only knew them through the video-clip of their song Drop. I was just astonished by their performance in the Otha Fish video: the flow, the humor, the dancing, the melody… It’s simply jaw-dropping. And it only gets better when you start listening to Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde. The whole album is inventive and impressive. I can easily see why it has become a classic ; it’s so unique and fresh even after all those years.
First Generation Rap is a box set of four CDs. It contains all the singles of the Enjoy label. Just to name a few gold nuggets: Funky 4+1 – Rappin’ & Rockin’ the House, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five – Superappin’, Spoonie Gee – Love Rap, The Treacherous Three – Body Rock, The Treacherous Three – Put the Boogie in Your Body, The Fearless Four – Rockin’ It, The Fearless Four – It’s Magic… I have finished listening to the four volumes: what a great collection of old-school songs!
More good stuff is on the way as I will soon be able to enjoy PBW 45 live box set and also that Harlem World (The Sound of the Big Apple Rappin’) compilation!
I have just been reading in Wayside Music newsletter that Aranis is working on a new album or at least a new project. This time they have added percussions to their music. I’m sure the result will be very interesting. I know someone who will be thrilled!
Via Neven Mrgan: XOC has released a new album. This time he is covering all the music of the Super Mario Bros 3 NES game. In case you didn’t know, he is not at his first attempt at this game. I am a fan of the work he did for the SMW soundtrack which is simply the best Mario music interpretation ever. Indeed Jason Cox is a very talented multi-instrumentalist. So if you want to feel nostalgic or simply to listen to good music, XOC web site is the place to go.
Panasonic has released a new version of the DMC-LX3 firmware. Version 2.1 fixes a problem in 2.0 that brings interesting new functions to the camera: aspect ratio of 1:1, white balance bracket function, high dynamic scene mode… I’m going to try some of those tomorrow.
From Volcano The Bear to Dragon or Emperor and then to Black Carrot! One band leads to another. Drink The Black Forest is Black Carrot’s last album and it’s another excellent surprise: odd, crazy and unexpected. Needless to say, I can’t stop listening to it.
Songs from mirage reviewed by Dave Lynch on AMG.
Jim G. Thirlwell official web site has been revamped. Since October most of the Foetus albums and all the Steroid Maximus and Manorexia albums are available as digital downloads on legal platforms.
Three new albums will be released in 2010: a new Foetus album, a new Manorexia album (in stereo and 5:1 surround sound) and a Manorexia chamber music album on Tzadik.
Volcano The Bear is an experimental/avantgarde band from the UK. I first heard of them through AMN, a great blog to discover new music. Full songs are available for free at the Free Music Archive. Of course their albums are also available for download on legal platforms. But let’s say you would like their Classic Erasmus Fusion album, get it right from the label where it’s really cheaper.
I encourage every fan of experimental or adventurous music to dig into their stuff. For that matter Classic Erasmus Fusion is some of the best experimental music I have listened to in years.
Also worth checking out Dragon or Emperor: Aaron Moore from Volcano The Bear on drums/vocals and Stewart Brackley from Black Carrot on bass/vocals. I just finished listening to the album on Spotify and it’s excellent!