Thursday, November 30, 2006

Soundtrack to the Snow



Its a cold afternoon in Dallas with some mild snowfall, I went out and threw my obligatory snowball and came in quick and put together my soundtrack to the weather.
Snowflakes captured by snowflake photomicroscope.


Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Three tracks

Pitchfork gave the new Clipse album a 9.1 which is very rightfully deserved, lately its been my hip hop album of choice when I feel like thugin it out. It pretty much cancels out that new Jay-z album (oh no he din'int). But I'm sure everyone is asking themselves whats the point of pursuing futher hip hop releases after listening to this masterpiece, okay maybe not but I have a point. That point is that the new Nas album is going to knock some heads. I've heard couple of parts of from the album and I can't wait to hear the whole.

Nas - QB true G's feat the Game




The new El-P album is being called "the most anticipated indie-rap release of 2007" by Rolling Stone, here's a track:

El-P - Smithereens (Stop Cryin)

Remember that Tom Waits video that I posted a week or so back, well I have been enjoying that track very much and I thought I might as well share it.

Tom Waits - Lie To Me


Not as cool as listening while watching the video but good none the less...


Monday, November 20, 2006

New Explosions in the Sky

Our beloved Texas post-rock instrumentalists Explosions in the Sky have a new release after 4 years without an LP. Although their was The Rescue, which was Volume 21 in the Travels in Constants series and was created in 8 days without any songs written prior. The new album is called All of A Sudden I Miss Everyone and is going to be released February 20th, 2007 on Temporary Residence Limited.



From the new album:
Explosions in the Sky - Welcome, Ghosts

Looking back at previous releases...

From How Strange, Innocence (2000)
Explosions in the Sky - A Song For Our Fathers

From "Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Live Forever" (2001)
Explosions in the Sky - Yasmin the Light

From "The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place" (2003)
Explosions in the Sky - Your Hand in Mine

From "The Temporary Residence Ltd. Thank You Compilation"(2004)
Explosions in the Sky - The Long Spring

Download the all 8 tracks of The Rescue from the Explosions in the Sky website.


Shaft

Today I read this article about two very recent hip hop songs sharing the same sample.

The "ubiquitous hip-hop sample of the moment" award goes to the horn loop from Johnny Pate's "Shaft in Africa."

The track, from the 1973 soundtrack of the same name, is prominently featured in "Show Me What You Got," the lead single from Jay-Z's new "Kingdom Come" (Roc-a-Fella/Def Jam), and "We Gon' Make It," the opening song from Diddy's recently released "Press Play" (Bad Boy).
Billboard


Johnny Pate - Shaft In Africa
(mp3)

When I first heard the Jay Z song on XM I thought that I was hearing a 90's classic then the song took a weird change and I realized it wasn't my beloved Rump Shaker made famous by Wreckx-N-Effect.

But I ain't into trickin' just to treatin'
And I ain't into treatin' every trick that I'm meetin'


Wreckx-N-Effect - Rump Shaker (m4a)


Cowboy

Usually my Sundays start like this, around noon to 1pm I open my eyes and roll over for the remote. I flip through the NFL games and pick my favorite and watch till half time and then I actually get out of bed. The Cowboy game yesterday against the Colts almost made up for a string of disappointments this season by my favorite NFL team the Dallas Cowboys. The win over the undefeated, number one team in the league, Indianapolis Colts was something that all Dallas Cowboys fans needed and deserved. I've liked Romo but I hadn't believed in him much till yesterday, how could I not like the #2 ranked QB in the league. Payton Manning is my favorite player in the league but thats just because I admire his talent, it doesn't mean I was rooting for him against my team.

Albert Hammond Jr. - Everybody Gets A Star



Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Tom Waits - Lie To Me [video]

Tom Waits' Lie To Me video is one of the best music videos I've seen in a while. The song, Lie To Me is from Waits' new album Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards, which is a 56-song, 3-disc collection out November 21st on Anti. Read about the album and each disc on Orphans on his label site. Also be sure to check out the video below.




K-os at the Disco


There is a new K-os album coming out soon out right now titled Atlantis: Hymns For Disco. I heard this was coming out a while back but never got any news about it for sometime till few days back. Its doing rather well in Canada as he usually does but not a blip on the US charts. Its not as tight as his last album, Joyfull Rebelion and unlike his previous two albums is has less social commentary which was something I really enjoyed about those albums. He is still a talented producer and songwriter who does a great job not staying on one musical genre. The album has a great track featuring two Canadian songwriters one of whom is Broken Social Scene -er.

From Atlantis: Hymns For Disco

K-os - Valhalla (ft. Kevin Drew and Sam Roberts)


Thursday, November 09, 2006

Live Modest Mouse feat. new songs

Listen to a Nov. 6th live show by Modest Mouse featuring Johnny Marr on guitar, note the new songs from Modest Mouses' soon to be released We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank.

Modest Mouse - Fire It Up
also
Busta Rhymes - Fire It Up (Knight Rider Remix)

watch a live video of Modest Mouse doing Fire it up via Youtube.

Download the whole show at Netzoo (link via Rolling Stone)

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I'm sure everyone who cares has heard that Donald Rumsfeld was cut from the Bush roster. My question is why now, it was apparent that this had to be done years back. Yesterday I was in the process of falling a sleep at a restaraunt and all of sudden I see a crowd of people surrounding a tv so I peaked in to see what interupted Montel. Watch via Youtube

Monday, November 06, 2006

Nas

Today I finally heard a track from the new Nas album Hip Hop is Dead titled The N or Hip Hop is Dead (depends on where you read), I think its the new single. Its a departure from what I would normally think is the Nas sound. Its pretty good but it leaves me with the feeling that I just heard a remix of a Nas original. The new album, Nas' 8th, should be out December 19th on Def Jam/Columbia.



Nas - Hip-Hop Is Dead (the N) (another link)


Thursday, November 02, 2006

De La Souls Impossible Mission



De La Soul is back with another release, this time its an album that contains un-released tracks from the Buhloone Mind and De La is Dead era De La Soul titled Impossible Mission. It took little more looking around to figure that much out. There are couple of stand out tracks but I would much rather be listening to new De La Soul.

De La Soul - you got it featuring. Butta verses


Don't rock the boat

Last night I made my return to the net. I didn't hate my time away but I did hate right when I finally got back online and saw all that I missed. I pretty much gave up on trying to read everything I missed from my favorite blogs and magazines, I'm just going to act like time stopped in the middle of October and continued in the beginning of November.

So has anyone heard the new shins, of course you have and shame on you for downloading it before its release. I'm not saying I'm a saint but still shame on you and I. My anticipation to hear this album reached a high point right before I got booted off the net. Stream the Phantom Limb on The Shins myspace page. Order the single for less than $4! It will be available on the 21st but you can still pre-order at the Sub Pop store. I wish they would also release this on vinyl, I'd definitely order it.



As of now I have to go to the polls to cast my vote, I've held on to decide which candidate had a better chance to defeat Texas governor Rick Perry. Then their is Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst(R) who I have met before, he's very very likely going to win re-election against Democrat Maria Luisa Alvarado and Libertarian Judy Baker. David Dewhurst is a man who has plans to climb to the political top, as far high as the president from what I picked up hearing him speak of his political ambition. After hearing him talk to a small group of about 15-20 people, including me I have come to the conclusion that he is more of a robot than a man. I have never really had the opportunity to be there in person to hear politicians speak in a q&a type of session but damn was this guy well scripted and prepared. His entourage was there too to help him with answers. He was very much a politician, not giving definite answers, making sure not to rock the boat. After hearing him speak I decided to vote against him in every election until he has a worth while issue that I can support. To the polls.

I'm gonna do my best to post again today with some music.