Jun
23

Frank & Beats: Radiohead Climb the Staircase

Aaron Frank has his own website. You should read it. When the most common complaint about an album is that “it’s too short”, it’s difficult to deny its artistic merit. After all, if you’re left wanting more, then it must have made an impact. Somehow these laws don’t apply to Radiohead, a band whose critics… Continue reading »

Jun
22

Video: Open Mike Eagle – “Bright Green Light”

Aesop Rock, Blockhead, Kimya Dawson and four out five Naval Admirals agree, Open Mike Eagle’s Rappers Will Die of Natural Causes is one of the best rap records of the year. You should buy it. The man has a wife and son. And someone has to pay for the expensive California chronic being incinerated in… Continue reading »

Jun
22

Beards, Glasses and Blazers: Passion of the Weiss at Toronto’s NXNE Festival

Aaron Matthews doesn’t recommend the Texas-Style BBQ in Toronto. Now in its 17th year, NXNE is the closest thing Canada ever gets to SXSW; 5 days of live shows sprawled across over 20 venues in downtown Toronto. The city has to close off Yonge Street, the main thoroughfare, just to accommodate the number of pedestrians… Continue reading »

Jun
22

Royce Da 5’9 & Premier Take Two

A round-up of the responses from the Passion of the Weiss Masonic Message Board where we plot to make Steve Guttenberg and Steve Arrington a star: “This is some Bazooka Joe shit.” “Fire. These two just have chemistry in the studio.”” “Is it now safe for us to say that after Guru and the Holy… Continue reading »

Jun
22

Douglas Martin’s Dirty Shoes: Bleached – “Think of You”

Douglas Martin is thinking of you…and you…and you….but not you. A band’s breakup is a natural occurrence, even as commonplace as a band’s formation, but there was a particular feeling of sadness among fans of Mika Miko when the band decided to part ways. The beloved LA five-piece packed a whole lot of energy into… Continue reading »

Jun
21

Immortal Technique: The Psychedelic Soul of UMO

Since playing the penultimate Passion of the Weiss superextravaganza, the Unknown Mortal Orchestra have been blowing up. And by blowing up, I mean attracting the attention of a dozen or so prominent online outlets and the Echo Parkians and Bushwickians who love them. I wrote about them for the Times in April, but never cross-posted… Continue reading »

Jun
21

Sach O leaves his House: Piknic Electronik wrap-up

Sach O avoided sunburn while drinking copious amounts of white wine. He’s going to tell you about it. If you see DJs frantically performing reverse rain dances in Montreal, you know Piknic season has arrived. The climatically superior brother of Igloofest, Piknic Electronik is the city’s 21st century bread and circuses: a weekly, mainstream,  outdoor… Continue reading »

Jun
21

Weird This Way

Weird Al, the older gawd, is making the PR rounds for Alpocalypse in singularly strange fashion. A parody of Gaga’s Warhol-Madonna mimicry and appearing with the Roots to play “Accordian” on the Madvillain track of the same name. The wonderfulness of the weird one was nicely captured by fellow parody titan Blockhead: “There are many… Continue reading »

Jun
21

Douglas Martin’s Dirty Shoes: Black Up and the Bold Progression of Shabazz Palaces

For today, you can call Douglas Martin, Ishmael. Within the first minute of Black Up, Ishmael Butler conjures an incredibly loaded image. “I cried with Mooch at Papi’s wake / Snuck an extra slice of cake / When the pigs came ‘round to make they case / I looked them dead up in they face… Continue reading »

Jun
20

Gospel of Matthews: The Imaginary Nostalgia of Miracle Fortress

Aaron Matthews is currently working on his debut album, “Human League Back.” Graham Van Pelt has an interesting relationship with the past. The Montreal based singer/songwriter’s new album feels like nostalgia for an era that he’s too young to remember. It’s a hazy reminiscence that comes from digging through your parents’ records or your brother’s… Continue reading »

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