Tunes – September 1st, 2009

September 1, 2009 — Beanie Sigel, Cage, Camu Tao, Central Services, Definitive Jux, Dorian Concept, El-P, Mayer Hawthorne, Oh No, Radiohead, Simian Mobile Disco, The Lines, Thom Yorke, Zomby

You know what it is…….let get into it.

Various Artists – Definitive Jux Presents IV (4)

ILLY, SON.  Good gracious this is a dope ass compilation.  At the same time, I didn’t expect anything less from El-P and crew.  I know of at least ONE person (the other owner of this site) that prolly just took a shit listening to this.  I don’t have some long explanation for it.  It’s El-P….Camu (RIP), Cage, Lif, Rob Sonic, Central Services – it’s typical Def Jukie material, advanced and varied sounds, dope lyrics, etc, etc….if you don’t know, now you do.  Pick this up and educate yourself.   personally recommended coppage.

Beanie Sigel – The Broad Street Bully

I’m guess this is a lead up until a real major label album.  In any case, it’s a nice return for Beans – back to doing what he does best – that Philly-style street shit.  I kind of forgot how nice this cat was and is – he goes hard on every track and the beats are dope too.  I will say this as well:  Young Chris is improved, although he sounds like Hov…still nice.  Freeway still got the odd-ass flow that just works, for whatever reason.  Nice pick-up here.

Mayer Hawthorne – A Strange Arrangement

Not sure I would’ve picked this up had it not been a Stones Throw release, but I’m glad I did.  ( I readily admits that co-signs from Mark Ronson and Gilles Peterson helped too.)  It’s blue-eyed soul, but with Holland-Dozier-Holland era mold and feel.  Very interesting – nice voice, good old school sound, and dude plays all the instruments.  I’d heard the initial single, but it’s a lot better to listen to the album as a whole, as least for me.  Nice pick-up.

The Lines – Memory Span

Basically a rundown of work they did from the late 70′s going forward.  Post-punk that was definitely ahead of the curve for their time (especially since punk was just settling down) – should’ve been a LOT bigger than they were.

Singles I’m feeling right now:

Simian Mobile Disco – Audacity of Huge

It’s been out for a little bit, but I’m still feeling it.

Grizzly Bear – While You Wait for the Others

I bought this single for the Michael McDonald cover – which is seeming to give a lot of people the willies, but I like it.   A lot.

Dorian Concept – Trilingual Dance Sexperience

Dance music..a little odd, but enjoyable.

Rain Machine – Give Blood.

Fair to say that if you like TV On The Radio, you’ll like this.  I like TV.

Radiohead – Harry Patch (In Memory Of) AND These Are My Twisted Words

A symphony featuring Thom Yorke and a track of classic Radiohead

Zomby – Digital Flora/Fauna

Huge fan of Zomby…so there it goes.

Oh No – Dr. No’s Ethiopium

Some short (8 minutes) teaser mix that I got from a site I don’t remember…..but it’s Oh No and it’s dope.  Google it.