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Animal Collective

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Fall Be Kind EP

Special Two-Part Coverage of the Most Hipster Thing I’ll Do All Summer
Part 2: There Will Be Merch

I’ve been writing this blog for three and a half months now, and (sigh) it’s time. It’s time I shared with you that… here goes… I have a merch addiction. A raging one. Show me a merch table, and I’ll show you all the cash I have in my wallet. My triggers include concerts, NASCAR races, baseball games, basketball games, political campaigns, SXSW was a t-shirt collecting shit show… it’s bad, OK? So when I walked into Saturday’s Animal Collective concert at Merriweather Post Pavilion, my love for merch and my vinyl habit teamed up, and things got a little out of hand. I snagged a t-shirt, a copy of Animal Collective’s Fall Be Kind EP on vinyl, a 7″ single of Panda Bear’s “Last Night at the Jetty,” and a lime green Merriweather Post Pavilion bag (What? Sometimes a guy needs to tote some stuff around for a few hours). Did I feel a little guilty? Sure. Did that stop me from tweeting about it once I saw that the venue’s giant screens were set to scroll through posts related to the night’s concert? Nope! I informed the entire Merriweather Post Pavilion lawn that I was “All merched up,” and gleefully watched the post scroll by a handful of times. The other tweets were far more entertaining, though. Post after post of hipsters making fun of other hipsters. It was a sight to behold — through thick-rimmed glasses, of course. While I can’t condone my merch-first-ask-questions-later approach to money management, I can wholeheartedly endorse the music I picked up. Panda Bear’s single is fantastic (as is the rest of the album) and Fall Be Kind is one of the best EPs I’ve ever heard. Check out “What Would I Want? Sky,” which is historic, in that it features the first licensed sample of a Grateful Dead song, and grab the album here.

Animal Collective

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Merriweather Post Pavilion

Special Two-Part Coverage of the Most Hipster Thing I’ll Do All Summer
Part 1: Expectations and Ogres

Hipsters love irony. Defying expectations is central to this most sub- of sub-cultures, so it’s no surprise (or is it?) that before I even made it to Animal Collective’s show at Merriweather Post Pavilion, I was already immersed in a complicated web of dashed preconception. Let’s do some untangling. The members of Animal Collective all have roots in the Baltimore area, yet they’d never played at Merriweather Post Pavilion, even though it’s the venue that inspired the name of the band’s most recent (and most successful) album, an album that, according to an interview with band member Dave Portner, we wouldn’t be hearing much of, since Portner foretold that they’d be playing twelve songs, 70% of which would be new (not a round number), the newness of the songs being old news, since it’s fairly well known that Animal Collective prefers testing new and evolving material on the road over the traditional practice of playing mainly tunes from previous albums. Whew. And I thought ogres had layers. All of this knowing so much and so little at the same time had me over-the-moon excited about the concert, and all hipster jokes aside, it was an incredible experience. There I was at a concert where the whole audience is participating in an exercise of shared discovery. Since most of the songs are works in progress, not even the most stalkery, show-taping, YouTube-searching superfan knows for sure what will happen. It brings to mind that moment you see in Victorian period pieces, when the foppish audience either dispassionately claps or roars in approval after the premiere of a composer’s latest symphony. I felt sublimely lucky to be there, watching one of the greatest bands in the world make beautiful music that’s creative in every sense of the word. Check out one of the songs the band did play off Merriweather Post Pavilion, called “Brother Sport,” and download the album here.

Gillian Welch

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The Harrow and the Harvest

During one of my previous themed weeks, I wrote about how collaborations are a great way to discover new artists. This is all well and good, but I can be pretty dense sometimes, and Gillian Welch is a shining example. I had so many chances to jump on her bandwagon. My first opportunity came with the film O Brother, Where Art Thou?, a movie I watched maybe 1,253 times. Not only was she associate producer for the sensational Grammy-winning soundtrack, singing on two of the songs, SHE ACTUALLY APPEARED IN THE MOVIE. Sigh. Another chance passed me by when she recently contributed backing vocals to seven of the ten songs on the Decemberists’ The King is Dead. Somewhere in between she played drums on Old Crow Medicine Show’s debut record, recorded with Bright Eyes, Ryan Adams, I mean c’mon, how oblivious am I? In truth, the fact that these projects didn’t make me run out and buy Gillian Welch albums illustrates her gift as a collaborator. In each case, her talents enhanced songs without overpowering them, even though she’s talented enough to outshine many of these artists. I’m finally learning this because my friend Giselle recommended that I give Welch’s new offering, The Harrow and the Harvest, a shot. After several listens, I’ve found that it’s a truly engaging folk album, full of tender moments and bittersweet beauty. My favorite so far is “Hard Times” — a song that is so bitter and sweet at the same time, you almost think the conflicting emotions are going to tear the song apart. Take a listen below, buy The Harrow and the Harvest here, and learn from my obliviousness, so you don’t have to spend one more day without Gillian Welch in your life.

K’naan

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Troubadour

‘Twis the Friday before the 4th of July
And all through my street flags are set out to fly.
I’ve done all the prepping that patriots do,
My friend Ryan’s fiesta well within view …
The burgers and dogs bought from Costco in packs,
So big you just look and get splits in your slacks,
Are taking up room in my freezer but soon,
They’ll be part of a feast that lasts all afternoon.
The beers are all sitting in wait for some ice
To bring their cold-activated labels to life,
And my team U.S.A. jersey’s hanging with care
(Tosh.0 said, this summer, your arms should be bare)
But something’s amiss … What can it be?
I know that I made sure to R.S.V.P.
Got my camouflage hat and tri-color balloons …
OH SNAP! The music! We need us some tunes!
I need to crank up the Ameri-swag quick,
But where do I turn? Toby Keith is a dick;
And Miley is partying, but who can tell why?
(OK, I’m obsessed with that song, I can’t lie.)
There has to be music that rings pure and true,
When I think of the spirit of red, white and blue.
So I scour my iTunes collection, bar none,
Leaving no stone unturned, no tune unspun.
And then in the very last place I would look —
The perfectest verse with perfectest hook!
But this just can’t be — a song for the 4th
That’s sung by K’naan, our friend from the north?!?
That’s right! He’s Canadian! Somalian too!
His formative days spent in Mogadishu.
But being a foreigner shouldn’t detract
From the fact that his song “Wavin’ Flag” is jam packed
With the message we’re coming together to send —
That freedom and justice will win in the end.
So raise up your bottles and barbecue tongs
To this most unlikely but fitting of songs
And to the two-hundred-thirty-sixth time we can say
“Suck it!” to England! It’s Independence Day!

June 6-10, 2011

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This week started with some B-side fun on Monday and Tuesday, and then switched into review mode, thanks to a crazy good Tuesday for album releases, with new albums from Battles, Cults and Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr.

Monday
Justin Townes Earle – “Racing in the Streets” (Bruce Springsteen cover)
Read more …
Buy on … iTunes

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Tuesday
Radiohead – “Paperbag Writer”
Read more …
Buy on … iTunes or Amazon

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Wednesday
Battles – “Wall Street”
Read more …
Buy on … iTunes or Amazon

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Thursday
Cults – “You Know What I Mean”
Read more …
Buy on … iTunes or Amazon

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Friday
Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr – “Skeletons”
Read more …
Buy on … iTunes or Amazon

Radiohead

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There There

Important Vinyl Update … The Artist: Radiohead. The Album: “There There” single. The Store: Plan 9. The Price: $6.

Welcome to the B-side of the discussion of B-sides! After Justin Townes Earle whet my appetite with his cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Racing in the Streets,” I poked around online for other fun B-sides. Quick side note – I’m a huge eBay tease. I tend to use my watch list not to monitor items I’d like to win in an online auction, but as a shopping list for the record store. Something about buying vinyl online is less satisfying, less eventful, and makes me feel like I’m cheating on my local record stores. That’s why I was so excited when I noticed a record behind the counter at Plan 9 that I’d seen on eBay the night before: a promotional copy of Radiohead’s “There There” – the first single off their 2003 album, Hail to the Thief. Though I’m a big fan of “There There,” I was even more intrigued by the single’s B-side, a song I’d never heard called “Paperbag Writer.” Turns out it’s a really cool and haunting bass-driven song with an creeping electronic beat and some truly creepy strings. As with a lot of Radiohead throwaways, it could really be the best song off another band’s album (or a fantastic track on a horror movie soundtrack), and the fact that it was discarded is a testament to the band’s greatness. Most of all, I love that I’m still discovering things about Hail to the Thief eight years after the album’s release. Such is the magic of B-sides! You can preview “Paperbag Writer” below, and you can buy it on iTunes as part of the There There EP, which features another B-side, “Where Bluebirds Fly.” And if you’re vinyl-inclined, keep an eye out for an upcoming series of 12″ King of Limbs remixes, with the first arriving in early July.

Raaaaaaaandy

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Aaaaaaaangry

Mixtape Week: Day 4. The Artist: Raaaaaaaandy. The Song: “Aaaaaaaangry.”

How could I dedicate a week to mixtapes without throwing in a diss track? Insult-hurling songs are a time-honored mixtape tradition, and I can think of no better artist to kick off the weekend than Raaaaaaaandy (aka “Randy with eight As”), the Soulja Boy-inspired alter ego of one of my favorite comedians, Aziz Ansari. The character first appeared in the movie Funny People, and was so beloved that Ansari did a tour in character, performing raunchy stand-up with a backing DJ. But Raaaaaaaandy has a problem. He wants to release a mixtape, but can’t because none of his collaborators will send him their verses. So he does what any reasonable fictitious comedian/rapper would do – record a monster diss track. It’s called “Aaaaaaaangry” and takes a shot at pretty much every rapper in the game, from newcomers Kid Cudi and Drake to seasoned vets like Eminem and Wu Tang. He knocks Clipse for their clothing line, Dr. Dre for his line of headphones, and asks Jay-Z, “Did Coldplay have to wait this long?” Awwwwwwww shit – with eight Ws! Give a listen to “Aaaaaaaangry,” and if you haven’t seen clips of Raaaaaaaandy’s standup, I highly recommend checking a few out (all are NotevenclosetoSFW).

Curren$y

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Covert Coup

Mixtape Week: Day 3. The Artist: Curren$y. The Tape: Covert Coup.

It’s easy to see why people would be so confused about how to classify Covert Coup, the most recent offering from New Orleans rapper Curren$y. He called it an EP, and at just 28 minutes, that seems plausible. Then again, it was free, so it’s understandable why people would call it a mixtape. But it’s so damn good, and is so packed with lyrical ingenuity, it feels more like a stripped-down version of a full-length, high quality studio album. My Hip Hop Advisory Committee (HHAC) Chairman and friend J Clyde was kind enough to clue me into this albumixtapEP, and I just couldn’t resist including it as an official part of Mixtape Week. Covert Coup was produced entirely by Alchemist, and it’s beats fit Curren$y’s characteristically laid back mood perfectly – quite an accomplishment, given the recording’s two-minute-a-song, rapid-fire format. My favorite of the tape’s quick hits (the quickest, at just 2:09) is “Success Is My Cologne,” but the longest track, “The Type,” provides the tape’s most memorable moment: an extended study of a single phrase from Outkast’s classic, “Skew It On The Bar-B.” Check it out below to feel the contemplative irony for yourself, and click here for a free download of this album-worthy mixtape.

The Very Best

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Super Mom Mixtape

Mixtape Week: Day 2. The Artist: The Very Best. The Tape: Super Mom Mixtape.

What pops to mind when you think of Mother’s Day? 1-800-Flowers? Crowded brunches? Thoughtful cards with handwritten notes inside? WRONG! The right answer is, of course, mixtapes. To celebrate Mother’s Day 2011, The Very Best generously offered up the Super Mom Mixtape, a collection of 12 songs that are super fun, even if you yourself haven’t given birth to human children. Singer Esau Mwamwaya lends his crazy hypnotic voice to songs by Kanye West, Billy Idol, and Cee-Lo, among others, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that his vocals belong pretty much everywhere (sorry T. Pain, I think we should see other people). The tape also gives us two brand new songs, including the ridiculously catchy title track. My far-and-away favorite, however, is the “Africa to California Anthem,” in which producer Johan Hugo deftly takes the iconic sample from 2Pac’s classic, “California Love,” for an international joyride. From personal experience, this one is best enjoyed in the car, at full volume, with a single hand at 12 o’clock on the steering wheel. Check it out below and download the rest of the tape for free here. And don’t forget to send the link to your mom, especially if she likes LCD Soundsystem and 3-weeks-late Mother’s Day presents.

Clipse

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Road to Till the Casket Drops

Mixtape Week: Day 1. The Artist: Clipse. The Tape: Road to Till the Casket Drops.

If collaborations are the glue that holds the world of hip hop together, mixtapes are the solvent that throws everything back into chaos. Hastily produced, legally questionable and often free of cost, these pseudo-albums typically find rappers appropriating each others’ beats as they spit a few lines in an effort to build hype for upcoming projects. They’re also a great way to get a feel for rappers you haven’t heard before (or simply haven’t heard from in a while). The latter was the case when I first read on Pitchfork about Clipse’s mixtape, Road to Till the Casket Drops. I hadn’t been keeping up with the duo, which is comprised of Virginia-based artists Malice and Pusha T, but I took notice when they released this tape in December of 2008 to promote their Play Cloths clothing line and upcoming album. Highlights include a very tight track in “Addiction,” as well as two songs, “Swagga Like Us” and “Swing Ya Rag,” that borrow beats from T.I.’s commercially successful album Paper Trail. I’d say that both of Clipse’s renditions surpass the originals, but Jay-Z appears on the original version of “Swagga Like Us,” and I’m not about to anger the music gods by insulting the great H to the Izzo V to the Izzay. Let’s just say it’s an awesome mixtape and leave it at that. Check out Clipse’s version of “Swagga Like Us” and click here to download the rest.