As you may have noticed, I’ve finally made the switch from blogger to wordpress in an attempt to no longer look hackey and amateurish. Don’t worry though. Despite my new fancy digs, I promise you that the writing itself will remain as hackey and amateurish as always. Please update your bookmarks and blogrolls when you have a moment. I hope you all like the new design.
Thanks.
Is a lead singer with a really cool hair cut. See Flock of Seagulls and/or Kid N’ Play. My Morning Jacket lead singer Jim James doesn’t really have a cool hair cut. Still, I think his band is pretty great. Labor Day has come and gone and I have neither the time nor energy for a long post at the current moment. I’m still recovering from an ill-advised trip to a NASCAR Rally on Sunday, which I hope to write about sometime soon if the ringing in my ears ever ceases.
Seeing as though today marks the beginning of Fall, there seems to be no better way to kick off the new season than with some songs from My Morning Jacket, a group whose lazy pretty Indian summer tunes seem tailor-made for the weeks that surround the harvest moon. In truth, if you really asked me my thoughts on what separates the good bands from the great, I’d probably answer that two of the most prominent marks of a great band are a deep catalogue chockful of standout B-sides and EP tracks, and the ability to cover classic songs and in the process re-write their very DNA. In my mind, My Morning Jacket succeed on both counts.
From the Songs Ohia Split EP
Download:
MP3: My Morning Jacket-”O is the One That Is Real” (left-click)
From the Chocolate & Ice EP
Download:
MP3: My Morning Jacket-”Cobra” (left-click)
Covers
Download:
MP3: My Morning Jacket- “Blue Moon” (Standard) (left-click)
MP3: My Morning Jacket-”Tyrone” (Erykah Badu) (left-click)
MP3: My Morning Jacket-”A Quick One While He’s Away” (The Who) (left-click)
MP3: My Morning Jacket-”I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man” (Prince) (left-click)
Another day, another journey into the Ameoba vortex. This afternoon, it’s siren called and by decree, I was forced to fork over the prerequisite $50 minimum. It’s going to be the only record store left in town pretty soon, which is kind of sad. But I’m pretty happy right now after this haul.
What: EPMD-”Crossover” 12″ vinyl single
Price: $6.98
Why: Because no one at Rawkus ever came close to writing an anti-commercial manifesto as good as this one. Plus, the B-Side, “Brothers from Brentwood L.I.” is one of the best of the era.
Download:
MP3: EPMD-”Crossover” (left-click)
MP3: EPMD-”Brothers from Brentwood L.I. (left-click)
What: Grandmaster Flash-”The Message” vinyl LP
Price: $10.98
Why: The Message? Great album cover? Or greatest album cover.
Download:
MP3: Grandmaster Flash-”It’s Nasty” (left-click)
What: “Dre Day” 12″ vinyl single
Price: $6.98
Why:
Download:
MP3: Dr. Dre-”Dre Day” (left-click)
What: Black Sheep-A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing vinyl LP
Price: $10.98
Why: The strength of Mista Lawnge’s hair alone.
Download:
MP3: Black Sheep-”Strobelite Honey” (left-click)
What: Slick Rick, “Children’s Story” 12″ vinyl single
Price: $6.98
Why: I needed more album covers with eye-patches in my collection
Download: Slick Rick-”Children’s Story” (left-click)
What: Aesop Rock-None Shall Pass vinyl LP
Price: $15.98
Why: Because it’s great.
Download:
MP3: Aesop Rock-”None Shall Pass” (right-click)
MP3: Aesop Rock-”Citronella” (right-click)
What: Pink Floyd-The Wall LP
Price: $9.99
Why: I’m thinking of opening my own Laserium.
Download:
MP3: “Run Like Hell” (left-click)
Total: $74.55
If these two could reconcile after Jay-Z fucked Nas’ baby mama and then told the world about it, how difficult could it be for me and Bradford of Deerhunter to squash our short-lived and obviously absurd beef, one most aptly summarized by Maura of Idolator as making you regret the invention of the Internet? The answer: not hard at all. Bradford sent me a very kind and apologetic e-mail yesterday and in return I did the same. In short, shit is all good. I’d explain more, but Bradford’s already done so on his own blog, so go there and while you’re at it, you ought to download some of the mixes he’s posted. They’re good. I’ll be posting a mix on their blog sometime in the next week and hopefully, he’ll do the same on the Passion. Thanks for the kind e-mails of support and for all the hateful comments that called for my head on a platter. Both were equally entertaining.
10. Because if you don’t come, Aaron Kyle, lead singer of Le Switch, will actually beat you with le switch.
9. Because if you don’t, I will cry myself to sleep tomorrow night. And by cry, I mean drink.
8. Because if you don’t, The Deadly Syndrome will actually give you a Deadly Syndrome. I’m not sure which one yet, but don’t rule out Anthrax.
7. Because there is no possible way that the show can be as bad as its name.
6. To see if Aquarium Drunkard can actually drink an entire Aquarium’s worth of liquor. I wouldn’t bet against him.
5. To see Kevin Bronson get as buzzed as the name of his column would suggest.
4. To hear Jax from Rock Insider and Joe from Radio Free Silverlake spinning between sets. And juggling.
3. Because though I’ve never actually met the good folk from LA Underground, judging from the seedy connotations of their name, they would seem to be excellent people to score drugs from (and by drugs, I actually mean drugs).
2. For the opportunity to see me do a live and possibly spontaneous rant about hipsters in fedoras. And more importantly, for the opportunity to see whether or not I actually have enough pull to get the doorman to turn away the wanna-be Humphrey Bog-tards.
1. So in ten years, when all the bands on this bill are playing really big venues and engaging in Motley Crue-esque levels of debauchery, you can tell all your friends that you saw them way back when. (Provided that you don’t tell them that the show was called Now Blog This, they’ll totally think you’re awesome).
The show starts at 9 and it’s only $5. Phoenix and the Turtle go on at 9:30, Le Switch at 10:15, The Deadly Syndrome at 11:00 and Aushua at 11:45. Be there or be a quadrilateral.
Download:
MP3: The Deadly Syndrome-”Eucalyptus”
MP3: The Deadly Syndrome-”Winter in You”
MP3: Le Switch-”Tongue Tied”
MP3: Le Switch-”Living in Another World”
Download tracks at Aushua’s Myspace
Phoenix and the Turtle on Myspace
Because if not, myself, Aquarium Drunkard, Kevin Bronson and the good folks behind LA Underground will find you, track you down and force you to have better taste in music.
Go to LA Underground for MP3’s of the all the bands involved.
The long-term status of one of Los Angeles’ beloved institutions is in jeopardy right now, after the owner of the New Beverly Cinema, Sherman Torgan passed away from a heart attack last week. (See the very good LA Times obit) For those that haven’t been to the New Beverly Cinema, it’s one of LA’s hidden treasures, the last full-time revival house left in the city, a place for movie geeks and cineastes of all stripes to come together and watch classic films on the big screen.
Few theaters anywhere can match the breadth and quality of the films that Sherman Torgan hand-picked for viewing, but even fewer can match the sense of family and community that the New Beverly has built up over the years. With Torgan’s passing, the theater will be taken over in the interim by his family. If you’ve never been to the New Beverly, now’s the the time to go, as it needs your business now more than ever. Seriously, how in god’s name can you not love a theater that shows an 80s double feature of Back to the Future and Goonies, all for $7 (July 29-31)? It’s easy to shrug and hope that places like this stay in business. It’s more difficult to get up and actually patronize them. If you get the chance, I sincerely recommend doing so. LA can’t afford to lose another one of its finest institution.
RIP Sherman. You will be missed.
The New Beverly’s Cinema Calender
I was supposed to have a different post up today, but fate struck in the form of my cell crumbling in my palm last night. Yes, you heard me right, it literally crumbled in my palm. You see a car backfired, I juggled it, caught it in mid-air and when I opened up my hand, it looked like it had been guillotined. I didn’t even know such a thing was possible.
Naturally, I have no land-line (thanks telemarketers), so I’m forced to drop everything to go into the Verizon Store to get it fixed. I anticipate this trip will take roughly the run-time of listening to the new T.I. record back to back and will probably be even more dull (if such a thing is possible). The thing about going to a Verizon store is no matter what time of day you roll up , you can always count on a few things to occur: you will wait in a long line while listening to Fergie. Secondly, you will encounter an employee who will give you some sort of static, involving the phrase, “uh…sir your plan doesn’t cover that.” Third, mid-way through the second hour you will fantasize about committing some sort of mass murder involving a cell phone lighter charger , three of the four Black Eyed Peas (that App. D. App fellow can stay, just because) and a pack of double AA batteries. Maybe that’s just me. Either way, I’m just hoping the gods of cellphone maintenance take mercy on my soul. Pray for me.
Download:
MP3: My Morning Jacket-”Phone Went West”
MP3: The Firm-”Phone Tap”
Can You Hate Me More?
Certified Bangers is counting down the Top 100 Rap Singles of All-Time, with MP3’s. Awesome.
Berkeley Place has some live MP3’s of old Led Zep songs performed at this year’s Bonnaroo Super Jam session that featured John Paul Jones, ?uestlove and Ben Harper. I wasn’t there, as I was seeing Aesop Rock, El-P and Shadow, but I will say that watching John Paul Jones perform “No Quarter” with Gvt. Mule was one of the five musical highlights of the festival.
Galactic Mystery Solves analyzes Rakim and why hip-hop heads give you the Salem Witch treatment if you dare to issue a mild critique of any of his catologue.
Oceans Never Listen loves the new Spoon album. So do I.
Scott Sterling has a new blog on the Metromix website. It is called Blipster. Rest assured, it promises to be great.
Ian Cohen usually writes for Stylus. Occasionally, he drops some knowledge on us here at The Passion. Cohen’s Corner is something akin to what you’d expect Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey to have been like, if Handey was smarter, jewier and really really into Wu-Tang. Enjoy.
Suffice to Say if You are a Rapper With the Word “Boy,” or “Boyz” in Your Name, You Probably Suck. Fat Boys Excluded
But Have Billy Corgan and Moby Ever Been Seen Together in the Same Room at the Same Time?
Look, sometimes I think about penning an OST for Stylus for all of Corgan’s post-”Adore” works, but then I think better of it because listening to “TheFutureEmbrace” isn’t something you’re liable to catch me doing when I could be…I dunno…re-reading today’s post on Fire Joe Morgan or whatevs. I mean, I’ll rep parts of “MACHINA” even though that shit’s so overprocessed, M83 could cover it without having to buy one piece of new gear. And was Zwan really that bad? Just looking at some of “Zeitgeist”’s review, you’d think that was Billy doing Wolf Eyes material or a song-for-song interpretation of “Self Portrait.”Download:
MP3: Smashing Pumpkins-”Tarantula” (left-click)
MP3: My Morning Jacket-”Careless Whisper” (Wham! Cover) (left-click)
Having grown up in LA, I didn’t need a big article in Billboard to remind me that practically every single record record store in town, save for Amoeba has gone out of business over the past five years. One by one, the music stores of my adolescence have shut their doors. From the old Rhino Records in Westwood triggering memories of an overcast winter Saturday, 14 years old and mystified by the cover of Liquid Swords; to the Tower Records on Sunset, June 2, 1997, waiting in line to buy Wu-Tang Forever, at Midnight (with a free Wu jersey handed out as a bonus for our dedication;) to the countless Wherehouses, Sam Goodies, and Penny Lane’s that used to lurk around every sun-splashed corner.
That was a decade ago, antediluvian in instant Internet time, before the music biz slid off a cliff of illegal downloading, Best Buy bulk buying domination (how else do you think they sold Fishscale for $6) and the black hole known as Amoeba Records. A great record store for sure, but one who by sheer awesomeness of size, taste and buying power further accelerated the decline of the little guys. Little guys like Echo Park’s Sea Level Records, one of LA’s last standing independent record shops, who closed up shop last night.
Sea Level owner, Todd Clifford made the decision to send Sea Level to that great record pasture in the sky about a month ago, but I waited to write about it, accepting the bad news the way I always do: refusing to believe it until the tangible concrete evidence looked me dead-on in the eyes. Which happened to me at about 11:15 p.m. last Friday night, when the boys from Division Day, aided by some special guest helpers, did a cover of the Boyz II Men school commencement staple, “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye” (which my 8th grade graduation. class was actually forced to sing). Nice work guys, you did a whole lot better than we did.
Sea Level Owner, Todd Clifford, Showing the Rugged Work Ethic And Abstemious Values Required to Survive a Day As a Music Store Clerk
Sea Level started in 2001, so it certainly wasn’t the first place I ever bought a record at, but it was the sort of place I wished I’d bought my first album at. A cluttered and cramped High Fidelity-esque playground, papered in old concert handbills, 90s Matador Pavement and GBV promos and tons of dusty old vinyl. The ideal spot for Junior High kids to rush in with weekly allowances tucked into their palms, filled with the nervous anticipation of buying a record, rushing home to put it into your stereo, hoping it as good as they’d heard it was.
About three or four months ago, Todd went off on tour to sell merch for the Silversun Pickups and thanks to Sea Level’s other employee, Sylvia, I got to fulfill every music geek’s lifelong dream: being the jerky guy behind the counter making snide remarks about used Kenny Loggins records. All things considered, it was pretty awesome getting the opportunity to see the way in which Sea Level fostered a true sense of community for the Eastside music scene. It was a rare anachronism in Los Angeles: an oasis for music junkies ranging from music writers like Duke, Jax and Kevin Bronson, to nearly every indie band east of La Brea, to the packs of Mexican and Phillipino teenagers that came in off their skateboards to read magazines and kill time talking about music for hours, to the weird ripped old dude that used to come in every week, hoping that his Ibiza Volume 6 album had finally come in.
One of Sea Level’s 685, 321 In-Stores
If video killed the radio star, the Internet slaughtered the record store. And in record time (no Buggles.) I suppose it’s the impersonal nature of the digital age, with its inexorable inertia to reduce all bits of information into 0’s and 1’s, forever stripping away the personalized touch of buying physical copies of records. Maybe it’s more efficient, but I think I can speak for all us music junkies when I say that I’ll always miss the instant connection you used to feel when you’d buy an album, studying the liner notes, reading the album lyrics and trying to figure out the over-arching meaning of it all, if there was any. Most of all, I’ll miss going to Sea Level and all the places like it, those last bastions of an actual community that feel like relics of a by-gone era. Maybe I’m just growing old and crotchety before my time, or maybe I’m just a little biased, but it feels as though the city is losing something that won’t be easily replaced. RIP Sea Level. You will be missed.
Download:
MP3: Boyz II Men-”It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye”
MP3: The Beatles-”Hello, Goodbye”
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