Spotlight On: Introduction/Astronautalis

Hey folks. So as I thought would happen, my schedule has pushed my posting into the land of infrequency. But that’s OK, as this was expected. I’m still working my way through the best of last year and pretty soon I’ll start tackling albums from this year. But first, something new.

The subtitle of this blog is “The Art Of Music Curation In Action.” What I want this blog to be is something very simple: a place where you, my friend or random person, can come and look around at what music I think is good or important enough to share with you. Not a day goes by where I do not think something along these lines: “I think that (name of friend) would really dig (name of artist)” or “It’s a shame more people don’t like (name of band.)” So to that end, this still new blog.

The whole purpose is to provide my friends with a place to come and check out new stuff, because I know that for most people, finding new music takes a lot more time and energy than it does for me. I’m not doing music news, or even just new albums and with that in mind, I’d like to start a new series of posts called “Spotlight On.” The purpose of this series will be to highlight artists I like and think you should know, not necessarily just one of their individual albums, but them as a whole, their body of work or just a couple songs I think everyone should hear.

So that’s basically it. I hope you enjoy this series and maybe find something new you like because of it. And to get the ball rolling, allow me to shine the spotlight on:

Astronautalis

When Hip-Hop was first birthed, I sincerely doubt it ever was ever envisioned that a man like Astronautalis could ever exist. Born Charles Andrew Bothwell, Astronautalis began his career in music as a freestyling battle rapper, which is not something you would immediately guess hearing his music for the first time. In fact, hearing his music for the first time, you probably wouldn’t know exactly what to think… or what century you’re in. Gifted with a silvery tongue and quick-witted sense of story, Astronautalis fashions a kind of music that at one time sounds totally anachronistic and yet thoroughly modern. After all, this is technically Hip-Hop, but it doesn’t sound like it. It sounds old. But not like old Hip-Hop. Just old.

Astronautalis’ is something of a Blues man when it comes to story if not structure. Either that, or he’s a con man that’s just grabbed the bag of money and left you with the blood on your hands when the sheriff shows up to arrest you both. Further more, there’s no proof that he was ever there at all. That’s a sample of the world you enter when listening to his music. Astronautalis could be called the Tom Waits of Hip-Hop, in that his music eclectically fuses elements of Americana, Folk and Nick Cave-like storytelling with crackly vinyl beats. He may not have the robust growl that Waits posses, but what he does have is spotless diction and a gripping command of tall tales.

Though he looks thoroughly unassuming, do not be deceived by this man. Astronautalis is the kind of wordsmith who will charm his way into your house, eat your dinner, make your mother laugh and before you know it, have married you and disappeared into the night with all the family jewels. He will do this by talking. I know it sounds like I’m writing about pathological liar and not a musician, but that is the kind of feeling you get listening to his lyrics. Every story is true and everything he says is a lie.

The combination of these fisherman’s tales with the almost Steampunk-esque beats is a match made in heaven for people who appreciate a sort of eclecticism in their Hip-Hop or the kind of genre crossing music created by people like the aforementioned Nick Cave and Tom Waits. The album to start with if you want to get into Astronautalis is called Pomegranate, as it features his most focused work to date as well as some of his most riveting stories. We don’t even get one song into the album before he’s on the run from the law and wooing married women. In fact, “The Wondersmith And His Sons“ is one of his best songs and if it hooks you like it hooked me, don’t be surprised, it’s a damn fine piece of music.

So that’s about it. I hate coming up with clever endings, so to close out, I wish you well and hope that you continue to enjoy the music. Cheers.

Recommended Listening:

The Mighty Ocean And Nine Dark Theaters (2006, Fighting Records)

Pomegranate (2008, Eyeball Records)

Tracklist:

01: “The Wondersmith And His Sons”

02: “Skeleton (Everybody’s Favorite)”

03: “Two Years Before The Mast”

04: “Astigmatism”

05: “A Love Song For Gary Numan”

06: “Trouble Hunters”

07: “Be Careful Of What You Wish For” (Produced by zoën)

(The names on the Tracklist are correct. Not all names in the player are. But the numbers line up.)

The Best of 2010 Pt. 0: Intro.

So 2010 totally just happened… yes, of course we’re still talking about this. I didn’t do much writing last year and didn’t cover anything music related that happened last year in my writing that I did do. So while I’m tackling other topics, I’m also going to take you back through my 20 favorite records (with additional two special prizes) of 2010 in reverse order. A lot of fantastic music was released last year and it’s given 2011 a high standard to rise to. By the by, If you think 20 records is a long list, keep in mind I was paring it down from about 50 or 60. OK. So on to criteria be in the Top 20:

• The record had to be originally released in 2010. So no re-releases.
• I have to have heard the record in full. If I didn’t hear it, I can’t count it now can I?
• I have to have heard the record in 2010. (There is a special exception.)

Not that hard as you see. Mostly, I just had to like the record enough to listen to it multiple times and not get sick of it. This series of articles will feature two records every post counting down from 20. I hope that you find something you like in all of this. You never know, you might find something cool you missed out on. So here goes. But first, I’d like to award the special prizes.

The Best Of 2010 Pt. 0: Special Prizes.

22: BlackTusk

Album: Taste The Sin

Genre: Swamp Metal

Label: Relapse

Special Prize Awarded: Because I didn’t hear it until 2011.

Savannah, Georgia is home to a powerful trifecta of Metal bands. Baroness is likely their most well known export with Kylesa second behind them. But my favorite of the moment is a decidedly vicious trio called BlackTusk who, while sharing similar roots with their hometown brethren, traffic in a much doomier, swampy kind of Metal than either of the aforementioned bands. Taste The Sin, BlackTusk’s third LP, finds the group pummeling their way through ten aggressive thunderers that will leave you shaking in your boots or pumping your fist in the air. Whichever comes first.

BlackTusk’s particular aesthetic takes many cues from their contemporaries (High On Fire being one example,) but they also trace their style back to the Hardcore Punk of Black Flag and the more Classic Metal of bands like Motorhead. The blend of methods results in an album rife with deep, grooving riffs, beastly drumming and war crying vocals. The best example of this combination comes with the song “Way Of Horse And Bow” an anthem of horsemanship during a time of war with an utterly ferocious riff backing it up. When BlackTusk cries “Mount! Your! Steed!” you better already be in the damn saddle. The song arches nicely through speed and aggression, ending with slow, punishing Metal glory.

The other best track is the scathing betrayal tirade of “Twist The Knife” a muckier piece than “Way Of Horse And Bow” the song thrashes around while the three members of BlackTusk bellow scornful roars against the one who has betrayed them, declaring this enemy to have words of shit as they twist the knife again and again, further undercutting their reliability.

In closing, if you like Swampy, Sludgy, Hardcore influenced Metal music, then you will certainly enjoy BlackTusk’s Taste The Sin. I felt they deserved an honorary prize, because if I had heard this record last year, it certainly would have made the Top 20.

Top Tracks: “Way Of Horse And Bow” & “Twist The Knife.”

21: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Album: VS. Redux

Genre: Northwest Hip-Hop

Label: Self-Released

Special Prize Awarded: Because it’s a Remix EP.

Last year… whoops… two years ago now, local emcee & producer duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis dropped their debut collaboration; the impeccable VS. EP. The EP combined Macklemore’s downright wholesome, self-portrait style of rapping with Ryan Lewis’s Indie Rock sample heavy production to create one of the best local releases of 2009 and just one of the best collections of songs I’d heard all year. And one of the best parts was they released it for free. Fast forward to 2010. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis re-release the VS EP as the VS Redux, with additional remixed tracks by Jake One, Budo, P Smoov, Sabzi and Ryan Lewis himself.

The VS Redux has done quite well by them, even charting to the Top 10 on iTunes soon after it’s release. Now, the only thing that keeps this record from the Top 20 is that it is both a re-release and a remix album. But it’s still fantastic. The original seven songs from the VS. EP are all quite strong by themselves and the additional content shapes this up to one of the best Hip-Hop records in local memory.

The strongest of the Remixes is probably Ryan Lewis’s tormentingly gorgeous remix of “Otherside” Macklemore’s painful tale of his drug addiction (he’s now over two years sober.) This version of the song does away with the Red Hot Chili Peppers bass sample and builds a more live band arrangement with an additional chorus provided by local singer-songwriter Fences, which serves to add to the haunting loneliness of the song. In severe contrast, P Smoov of Mad Rad and Fresh Espresso comes in to add some much needed levity with his decidedly lighthearted remix of “Irish Celebration” which takes Mack’s send up of his Irish heritage and turns it from a more refined barroom cheer along to a mad dance spectacle. After “Otherside,” though, the break is much needed.

Jake One contributes a solid remix of “Crew Cuts,” Budo turns “The End” into an even more beautiful song, but my favorite song from the EP is without a doubt Sabzi of The Blue Scholars reinvented version of Macklemore’s “The Town” possibly the most heartfelt song I’ve ever heard about Seattle and the history of it’s Hip-Hop scene. Not many pieces of music have ever moved me to tears, but “The Town” comes damn close. If you are a fan of Hip-Hop or want to hear one of the best artists local to Seattle, then get thee to whatever music outlet you use and cop the VS. Redux. You will not be disappointed.

Top Tracks: "Otherside (Feat. Fences) [Ryan Lewis Remix]" & "The Town (Sabzi Remix)"

To be continued...

Sound Guardian Redux: Here We Go Again… Again.

I am a writer. I love music. I like to write about music. Seems simple enough doesn’t it? Then why is maintaining a blasted blog so blasted difficult? Is it school? Stress? Distraction? I have no idea, but I’m going to keep trying this shit until it sticks and sticks right. The mode of my long time writing style has been exhaustively analytical and lengthy reviews. I like to talk about what I’m talking about. But now I need to try something new. I have found to my irritation that it is difficult for me to assign time to write out said lengthy reviews. Thusly, I’m going to try focusing on making shorter, punchier articles that get to the point and don’t waste time doing it. This will be an interesting challenge seeing as how I usually like to cram as much info into what I’m writing as possible and will force me to highlight the intensively important elements of whatever I’m talking about. So instead of Progressive Rock, I’m turning to Hooky Pop Music (Think Pixies instead of Pink Floyd.) In my writing style that is, I’ll still write about whatever I feel like. I’m hoping that the shorter nature of the articles will allow for a more accessible time exploring the blog. That and it might be easier on me. (Knocks on wood.)

More over, I’m not just going to do album reviews, but try to continue the radio style pieces I did a few of during the last round and also incorporate a few new ideas into the blog as well. Now, as to posting frequency. For a little while, I tried to post everyday to keep people engaged and that wore me out. I don’t know how often I’ll be posting with school on, but I’ll try to make it worth your while to check in and see what I’ve cooked up at least once a week. But don’t hate me if I can’t keep to that. This is an experiment.

In closing, I feel it is important to mention why I’m doing this and why I’ve let you in particular know about it. I love music. It helps me stay sane and gives my life color (cause my clothing doesn’t.) I love sharing music I think people will like/should hear with people most of all in some ways and I’m going to keep trying to do that on and off the computer. If you’re tagged in this note then it’s because I like you, care about you and want to share something that I get a kick out of with you. I realize I come off as a music snob at times, but ultimately I just know what I like and what I don’t. My only request of you, should you choose to accept it, is that you take a minute of your day to try what I put in front of you. You never know, you might like it. And tell me if you do. If you don’t that’s fine, maybe you’ll like the next one. Who knows? I don’t. All I know is I’m driven to do this stuff and I show no signs of giving up. So here it goes… again… Wish me luck. Thank you all for your time. Cheers.