2009 January » Passion of the Weiss

Jan
12

Yes, I know, another “link-to post.” All apologies. Credit a mild case of post-New Year’s indolence and the cold reality that you don’t need Jay Jenkins to inform you that it’s the recession and everybody’s broke. So if blog resources are diverted to earn Grants and Jackson’s, and thus avoid complete indigence–well, I hope you’ll… Continue reading »

Jan
11

Bob Dylan: No Direction, Period

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJIDDQTxid0 Hysterical spoof of No Direction Home. Thanks to the inestimable Nate Jones. Download: (If you don’t have this cut from Vol. 3 of the Dylan Bootleg series, you need it. Trust.) MP3: Bob Dylan-”Blind Willie McTell”

Jan
10

Franco-Francophonic

Other than Fela and arguably King Sunny Ade, few afro-pop lights burned brighter than the Congo’s Franco Luambo. A guitar prodigy and auto-didact who taught himself to play at age 7, Luambo amassed a sprawling discography of over 2,000 songs before dying in Belgium in 1989. Thankfully, the recently released Francophonic compilation does the unenviable… Continue reading »

Jan
09

Pay Jeff: Jeanine Smith

Let’s be unequivocal: were Jeanine Smith not to have taken out the ad directly to your right, this post would not exist. After all, I can count on one finger the amount of female R&B singers we’ve covered on the Passion (one, see E. Badu). But when Jeanine (not some major label, not some svengali… Continue reading »

Jan
09

LA Weekly-Up With People Under the Stairs

First off, apologies for the lack of original content on my part. It’s been getting hectic like Guru and The Brand New Heavies. There was an East Coast sojourn, a flurry of deadlines, and a hair-brained scheme to build the world’s first mind-reading machine–which failed miserably (see photo evidence here). Thankfully, like free lunches, Sach… Continue reading »

Jan
08

Japanese Cartoon: Bigger Than the Beatles (Sach O)

Sach O put his money where his mouth is and moved to a country without indie kids. He didn’t anticipate the dance-pop though. I love Lupe Fiasco’s new band, Japanese Cartoon. I hope they blow the fuck up, take over the world and become the biggest phenomenon in music ever. Not because I like their… Continue reading »

Jan
07

Y’ALL NEVER SMOKED A BRANSON BLUNT WITH BIG

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tGGFg9vIrA Sometimes, I think Time Warner needs to create a Noreaga channel. Although, I’m pretty sure, I don’t need to salute all of Terror Squad if I want to give praise to Big Pun. Such privileges were revoked following “Lean Back.” Now where can I get some liquid hash? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OG5NbWXGh1E Download: MP3: Capone N-Noreaga ft.… Continue reading »

Jan
07

Village Voice: Live-My Morning Jacket (12/31/08 @ Madison Square Garden)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXyio036hIE In what’s shaping up to be annual tradition, I trekked to New York City to catch My Morning Jacket’s New Year’s eve show (see 2007 edition). While this year may not have topped the astral peaks of their Fillmore stand, it was my favorite performance of recent vintage. I know a lot of people… Continue reading »

Jan
06

Douglas Martin’s Dirty Shoes: Award Tour

Lyrically, Douglas Martin is Mario Andretti on the mo-mo, whether ludicrously speedy or infectious with the slow-mo. 2008 was a funny year, wasn’t it? We saw Jay-Z strum a guitar, Kanye West (sorta) get his Andre 3000 on, Eminem come out of a nearly-five-year hiatus with a fake accent, and the world’s highest selling record… Continue reading »