Akron/Family performing “Ed is a Portal” at the Secretly Canadian/Jagjaguwar/Dead Oceans showcase was my favorite moment of this year’s SXSW. The Rza isn’t the only one who is a hip-hop hippie. Of course, watching a secondhand YouTube clip can only do so much for you. Kief-coated Bong rips may help–if you’re into that sort of thing.
The perils of Dead-derived music–and really any experimental outfit–is that off nights are to be expected. Sometimes, you don’t have your best fastball, your curve lacks bite, and your spitball flies into the wind. It happens. That said, I’ll take the erratic Akron over nearly any other working band. My full review of their show at the El Rey is at the Times site–if you’re into that sort of thing.
LA Times: The Innovative Experimentation of Akron/Family
Download:
MP3: Akron/Family-“River”
MP3: Akron/Family-“Ed is a Portal” (Left-Click)
MP3: Akron/Family-“Birth/ Or Bodies” (Left-Click)
MP3: Akron/Family-“Running Returning”
