Trying To Show You A Reality That You Didn't Even Know Existed

clarion alley series. 2007

you are numb to what is presented in front of you
you take it as reality
the only existence of whatever form you know
in reality
something more exists
one that has to be sought out
because it cannot be easily digested
by the masses
and now you know
or you just don't care.

Aesop Rock - The Next Big Thing (Hip Hop) - this track was originally from a book/7" collaboration done with jeremy fish . it's also on the compilation from the new issue of the believer from the mcsweeney people.

Nina Simone - Backlash Blues (Blues) - when i first heard this song being played on a lexus commercial with john "my music should be sponsored by ambien" legend, i was wondering if nina simone would have allowed this if she were alive today. who knows? cat power covering cat steven for the diamond people. what a shame that the ad industry has to once again use an artist's soul to sell something that people don't need.

Dntel - I'd Like To Know feat. Lali Puna (Abstract Ambient) - a collaboration off of dntel's new album, 'dumb luck'. a song that would fit perfectly in lali puna's dream-filled cataloge.

The Afghan Whigs - Faded (Rock) - these guys have the best opening and closing songs on albums. 'gentlemen' and 'black love' are two of my favorites and take you on a ride like a rollercoaster. at first, it's eases you into the first fall and you know with the slow build up to the top, it will unleash quite a drop into the black soul of greg dulli. this track is the last song off of 'black love' and clearly shows the whisper to scream existence that made up some of the best songs from the whigs. get their retrospective 'unbreakable' which features two new tracks and the new track 'magazine' shows that they still have some more songs of longing and desperation to share. check out summer's kiss for more info.

I Snap Gum, So You Don't Have To

clarion alley series.2007

in my quest to record my vinyl sources into a digital format, leaving in the hisses and scratches, here are some more treats, i believe that are difficult to find outside of the vinyl medium.

Digable Planets - Nickel Bags (Sneak A Beshu Mix) (Hip Hop) - from the 1992 12" of 'nickel bags'. nothing major added or taken away here, maybe a crisper hand clap?

Digable Planets - Where I'm From (Aural G. Ride 12") (Hip Hop) - from the 12" in 1993 of this title cut. a nice dark bass and sax addition to this mix.

A Tribe Called Quest - Check The Rhime (Skeff's Mix) (Hip Hop) - this 1991 mix has a piano and sax to replace the great bass line from the original. i still prefer the original, but it's still great to hear any version of this great song.

Plastikman - Afrika (Test Kut) (Techno) - from a 1998 m-nus vinyl release with 'hypokondriak' on the other side. this is a real departure for hawtin in that he uses actual organic instruments or organic sounding instruments for his presentation of minimal rhythmic beats.

Bjork - I Miss You (Dobie's Rub Part Two - It's Hip Hop Thing) - a 1996 vinyl release and a rare version where most have part 1 of this mix.

Joseph Arthur - Papa (Singer Songwriter) - off of the now, supposedly out of print, 'and the thieves are gone' release from 2004. eerie, haunting, combining guitar with electronics and everything else that makes arthur such an interesting artist . if you ever have a chance to see him perform solo, please do so. he samples on the fly with sounds and rhythms he creates using his guitar and voice to create this wall of sound to accompany his angst.

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flash over at flash vegas has a great live set from amy winehouse at the paradiso in amsterdam from february the 8th.

stereogum has the trailer for "control", the new movie by anton corbijn about ian curtis, the former lead singer of joy division. it apparently won the best european film at cannes this year and stars newcomer sam riley in the lead role as well as samantha morton. corbijn was featured on the director's label series from palm pictures which showcases the works of visionary directors in the music video realm, but it also collects together some of the most visionary directors in feature films as well. michel gondry with "eternal sunshine of the spotless mind', jonathan glazer with "sexy beast" and "birth", spike jonze with "being john malkovich", mark romanek with "one hour photo", and now, corbin with "control". i'm still waiting to see what chris cunningham will do next. pure genius.

To All The BabyMama's Out There

clarion alley series 2007

remember to thank your mom, your babymama and all of the mother's out there for giving us life.

go warriors!


Jef Gilson - Fable Of Gutemberg (Four Tet Remix) (Abstract Jazz) - this track is from a vinyl only release in 2004 and i finally got around to recording it onto my computer. kieran hebden (four tet) is a jazz master of the electronic variety especially with his recent works with steve reid.

Farmacia - Doctor Krupa (Abstract Beats) - another great find from aquarius records . a menacing track from this argentinian outfit.
Konono Nº1 - Kule Kule Reprise (World) - featured on the new bjork album. beautiful rhythms throughout.
Gonzalez - Gentle Threat (Classical) - as part of the feist, jamie lidell crew. this master of the piano displays a moody piece here. his reworking of 'multiply' from jamie lidell is still a favorite.

Feist - The Park (Singer Songwriter) - apart from her work with broken social scene and her previous solo effort, i never payed too much attention to feist. this album is powerful. this track which sounds as if it was recorded in the outdoors shows a vulnerability and the same time showing a resolve which is reminiscent of ani difranco.

How Much For That Panda ?

clarion alley series 2007

last monday night was the lcd soundsystem show at mezzanine and since it was a monday night coupled with the fact that i get up at about the same time as the early newspaper delivery people, and that the band did not go on until 11.30, i was keen on leaving a few songs into the set, especially if it wasn't good. a few years back they played with m.i.a. at the fillmore and it wasn't anything great. well, for the next hour and a half at mezzanine, lcd ss took over the place and made sure everyone paid close attention. it was non-stop energy that even made some of the indie kids dance. there were great versions of 'someone great', 'all my friends' and a sped up version of 'tribulations'.

i just found out that adrienne shelly was killed last year in a bizarre murder that was initially thought of as a suicide. she was a somewhat famous actor in a number of indie films. and most notably for me, hal hartley's 'trust' (1990). one of the first independent movies that showed me that like music, there was important creative things being made outside of the mainstream machine. you'll have to catch it on sundance or ifc because it still has yet to be released on dvd in this country unless you're still hanging on to one of those vhs/beta machines. a deadpan dialogue driven movie about two malcontent's connection to one another.

Boxcutter - Skuff'd (Abstract Beats)- there's a music shop on valencia st here in san francisco called aquarius records and on occasion i stop in to this small shop and hope to find something. it has weird music from all parts of the world and caters to a more indie type crowd. well, i found this cd and from their site hope to find some other peculiar things that i normally wouldn't find from my other sources. go to the site and you'll find great/extensive writings on their releases as well as short sound clips.

Charles Mingus - Epitaph (Jazz)- this is a song from the infamous toen hall concert that some have said was genius while others have said it to have been an absolute disaster. while the expanded cd shows the chaotic nature of the concert, there are moments of genius that made me want to take up the upright bass in a jazz band.

Mylo - Drop The Pressue feat Spank Rock (Hip Hop) - from the fabric33 release, a rundown on the history of hip hop as well as a fearless bravado to drop yes and the romantics in the same mix shows why this group has crossed all boundaries of music categorization and captured fans from all sides of music .

Battles - Atlas (Hard Rock, Abstract) - a sorta superstar band and this first single being from their first release on warp records, 'mirrored'. the former drummer from helmet who puts his crash stand 6ft into the air. check out the video for this song. it's one of the best videos i've seen in a long time.

People Press Play - Always Wrong (Abstract Pop) - from morr records. lali puna-esque. dreamy pop electronic based music.