COMBO OF ALTERNATIVE BAND MUSIC WITH HIP-HOP!!!

I actually got this album within minutes of it coming out and just realized I never put it up. This album is said to be by Blakroc which is really just the band The Black Keys teaming up with producer Joel Hamilton and all the rappers it features. Because no one track is just the Black Keys they figured they wouldn’t take the credit for the album, rightly so. This album was recorded in something like 4 days. Mos Def wasn’t even originally on it but happened to come into the studio while they were recording and dropped a song himself. It’s a very laternative rock feel with some sick rappers.

Feautred rappers on the album are Mos Def, Jim Jones, RZA, Raekwon, NOE, Q-Tip, among many others. It is pretty good overall and I enjoyed it, but it does get a little old after awhile and you can kinda tell it was recorded quickly.

Overall: 7  /   10   IF YOU CAN FIND IT FREE THAN GET IT!!!

Best Songs: “Ain’t Nothing Like You (ft. Jim Jones & Mos Def)” “Tellin’ Me Things (ft. RZA)” “What You Do to Me (ft. Billy Danze, Jim Jones & Nicole Wray”

Similar Artists: The Black Keys (no duh)

One Down Fall: Semi-repetitive sound and nothing truly amazing

Ain’t Nothing Like You (ft. Jim Jones and Mos Def)

Tellin’ Me Things (ft. RZA)

Chris Robinson, American singer (Black Crowes)

GREAT FREE REMIX MIXTAPE!!

Not too much to review here just because this mixtape is just a 7 song remix conjured up by Montreal-based producer Tor, sampling songs from multi-instrumentalist and indie hero, Sufjan Stevens. The album is not just two single artists mashed-up, but rather features artists such as MC’s Aesop Rock, Big Daddy Kane, Gift of Gab (Blackalicious), C.L. Smooth, Outkast, Brother Ali, and Grand Puba. I don’t know too much about the producer Tor but this mixtape is fire. I got to give props to Tre for telling me about this one after I showed him the Chiddy Bang cover to a Sufjan Stevens song Chicago.

Overall:    8  /    10      GREAT FOR A FREE MIXTAPE AND SOME GREAT TRACKS!!!!

Best Songs: “Star of Wonder / None Shall Pass” “The Dress Looks Nice on You / Make You Feel That Way”

Similar Artists: (It’s a collaboration so no one artist)

One Down Fall: It’s only 7 songs, and some verses are below average

FREE DOWNLOAD: http://www.illinoize.biz/download.html

I apologize with the bit of the jam band overload, but I feel it’s necessary.

New Grateful Dead spin-off project Furthur will make its first Connecticut appearance this weekend with a show at the Oakdale Theatre on Friday, Dec. 11. The band was formed by Grateful Dead members Bob Weir and Phil Lesh. Joining them are John Kadlecik of the Dark Star Orchestra, Joe Russo of the Benevento/Russo Duo (discussed in last week’s blog post about Benevento’s appearance in CT), and RatDog members Jeff Chimenti and Jay Lane.

While everyone will certainly agree that none of the new incarnations of these legendary jam band members will ever come close to the Grateful Dead, there is a certain energy this band exudes in its lengthy, spread-out jams, perhaps brought on by the likes of Kadlecik and Russo. Kadlecik’s former band, Dark Star Orchestra, was a band aimed at recreating the live shows of the Grateful Dead. Now he has a chance to play right along with them.

I’ve already given the group a good listen. Their shows consist of tunes made classic by the Jerry Garcia-led band and are easily attainable online. Archive.org streams good quality soundboard recordings for free.

Now the bad news is that Friday night’s show has been sold out for awhile. But the band will return to the state on Feb. 26 as they plan to jam out the Mohegan Sun Arena as a part of a massive tour. Get your tickets quick, this band is not worth overlooking.

Pink Floyd was one of the greatest Rock and Roll/ Jam bands of their generation.

Who better to represent them live than the Pink Floyd Experience.

These guys are a great cover band that really hit the essence of Pink Floyd.

The show will take place on Thursday, February 11, 2010 at Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, MN.

The show starts at 7:30

18+ Show

Tickets start at $38 plus facilities charge. (Usually a couple bucks)

Check out their website here!

http://www.thepinkfloydexperience.net/

Kate Langenburg/A&E Groove 

All the boys of Railroad Earth minus Mike Carbone. Photo by Kate Langenburg.

The band opened with a stellar, upbeat ”Drag Him Down” but then backed off the high uppity bass and focused on some slower songs, particularly “For Love.” I can appreciate the vibe they were trying to set, but it kind of ruined the mood a little. People were psyched up to see the show. RRE started with an upbeat song, then played slow songs for almost the entire rest of set one. It was definitely a tease.However, at the end of set one, the band went into a bumpin’ version of “Head” which always gets a crowd going. As Todd Schaeffers vocals screeched out, the audience sang back to him and threw up their hands each time he repeated the call. Thank the bluegrass gods for making them play this song. I think it was the highlight of the concert.

Connecticut’s very own guitar wizard Tim Palmieri will take the stage Monday night at Stella Blues in New Haven, Conn. with his new super group Kung Fu.

Palmieri, best known for his work with the progressive/funk/jam band The Breakfast, will be joined by Todd Stoops (RAQ/keys), Kris Jensen (sax), David Livolsi (bass) and Adrian Tramontano (The Breakfast/drums).

Palmieri is a regular on the New Haven music scene, performing both sets as both a solo artist and as a member of The Breakfast. Palmieri and the rest of the band have a long track list, performing with the likes of John Scofield, Warren Haynes and Dave Matthews Band. Palmieri himself has played alongside major jam band scene artists such as Umphrey’s McGee, Tea Leaf Green and Phish’s Mike Gordon.

“Everyone is a monster,” Palmieri told Jambase.com. “This music is going to be funky, mature and powerful. It’s lethal funk,” explains Palmieri. “It’s music smart and strong enough to defend one’s self, or art’s self. I love this music.”

Jambase.com also reports that the band will be playing covers, improvisation material and eventually original content of their own as the new band grows.

The band, which aims at pushing the boundaries of improvisation inside the genre, will likely be performing weekly at Stella Blues in New Haven, Conn.

Check out Palmieri’s acoustic cover of Phish’s “Reba” at Anna Liffey’s in New Haven below:

Kate Langenburg/A&E Groove

It’s finally happened to me after all these years. That’s right, I finally went to my very first Phish show ever! Let’s just say this — I went on Tuesday night. It is now Friday and I can’t stop daydreaming about it, listening to my live Phish albums, and wanting to go back for more. This band has had a lot of time to perfect their shows…and they certainly have.

After releasing their first album in 1986 and touring for nearly twenty years, the band went on a haitus, a break that was much needed for certain members who had started overdoing the drugs (I won’t mention names here.) Nonetheless, that time gave them all a time out and a chance to think about what they wanted for the future of their music. Now they’re back, armed with a slick light show and some seriously funky beats.

Photo by Kate Langenburg

The crowd in the Wachovia Center Tuesday night was ridiulously large. I never knew venues of that size existed until now. (I also never would have guessed I would end up with a club box seat complete with my own private bar, bathroom, and sitting area.) Everyone in the entire place seemed to be grooving simultaneously, with smiles and good vibes permeating the walls of the arena.

Here’s the setlist from the November 24 Philadelphia show:  

Set 1: Chalk Dust Torture>Bathtub Gin>Cities>Camel Walk>The Curtain With>The Wedge>The Moma Dance>Reba>Golgi Apparatus>Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan

Set 2: Possum>Down With Disease>Twenty Years Later>Harry Hood>The Mango Song>Mike’s Song>Simple>Slave to the Traffic Light>Weekapaug Groove

Encore: A Day in the Life

From the very first note of Chalkdust, I knew I was in for something great. When they went into a real funky Moma Dance, I was in heaven. Everyone was singing along with Reba one minute then, jamming out to Possum, then going into a free fall whirlwind of musical pleasure when they heard A Day in the Life.

Phish’s sound has certainly gotten stronger over the years, and I don’t see this band disappearing any time soon. They are loved by too many fans, have too much talent, and have the drive to keep on keepin’ on. I don’t even know which song was my favorite…they were all wonderful, amazing, beautiful, great. Check out my videos from the show by clicking on the song names below:

The Moma Dance

Simple

Weekapaug Groove

A Day in the Life (Encore)

If anyone I work with happens to read this post, I’m sorry, but I just might have to quit my job and go on tour with Phish.

Mumbai based  Something Relevant (Or STR) is  undoubtedly the best jam band in India. And they are all set to release their highly anticipated debut album ‘Feels good to be Live‘  this  December (date to be announced soon).  The band has made available one of its hit song ‘Aha’ for streaming on IRMP3. From the first listen I can imagine the response this album is going to generate , in simple words this album will be the topping on the cake,  a perfect ending for a successful Indian Indie Year 2009. Nuff said already … Give it a listen.

BEST MASH-UP ALBUM I HAVE EVER HEARD!

For being someone that considered himself a moderate Coldplay and Jay-Z fan at best, this album caught me by surprise. Simply put, if you are a fan of either Coldplay or Jay-Z this album is a MUST HAVE. The album is officially given credit to Terry Urban and Mick Boogie (two of arguably the best producers of the last 5 years, produced with artists like Kid CuDi, 6th Sense, Wale . . . ) but almost every song is produced by someone else such as 9th Wonder (also worked with 6th Sense), 6th Sense himself, The Kickdrums, nVMe, The Amps, Cookin’ Soul, and many more. The songs do not sound like mash ups, but rather as if Jay-Z was in the studio rapping over Coldplay samples. The mash-ups actually are so legit, Jay-Z actually sponsored it and approved it and put it up on his website. I even urge you, if you do not care for either Jay-Z or Coldplay to get this album, it is an epic album that you must have on your ipod. Give it a chance and you may, and probably will be, surprised.

This is probably one of the few rap albums you can listen from intro to end and enjoy it all. Almost every song is good, and all different in their own way. I recommend songs like “Lost Part 2 [Remixed By Mick Boogie]“, “Cold Success [Prod. By 9th Wonder]“, “Life of Clocks [Prod. By Teryy Urban]“, “X-Y-Z (Prod. by Hasan Insane)”.

Overall: 9 / 10     A MUST HAVE ON YOUR IPOD!!!

Similar Artists: Nothing Like This

Best Tracks: They all are, look above for highlights

PLACES TO DOWNLOAD FOR FREE:

http://www.datpiff.com/Mick_Boogie_Jay-Z_Coldplay_Viva_La_Hova.m22326.html

http://www.vivalahova.com/2008/10/new-download-links.html

http://illroots.com/2008/10/28/viva-la-hova/

Album Cover

Gov’t Mule

“By A Thread”

October 2009; Evil Teen Records

By Emily J Ramey

Gov’t Mule has always been a shoo-in for critical acclaim and had an easy genre transition that made for a built-in fan base, what with it being Warren Haynes’ official side project and all.  That’s certainly not to say that the band hasn’t worked hard and isn’t musically awesome in their own right, but I think even Warren would agree with me that the whole Allman Brothers association hasn’t exactly been underplayed in the band bio.  Current Gov’t Mule, on the other hand, is straying farther and farther away from the twangy good ol’ southern rock so characteristic of the Allman Bros Band.  Let’s just say Gov’t Mule is a little less “Jessica” and a little more “Whipping Post” with each subsequent album, and By A Thread is fraying the genre ties and ever-present comparisons with more fervor than ever.

By A Thread is dirty and dense, mighty, muscular, and soulful.  The album begins with the heavy, churning “Broke Down On The Brazos,” with the fierce introduction of recent addition, bassist Jorgen Carlsson, on the record.  “Steppin’ Lightly,” the second track, is a grungy, distorted track with a chorus that resolves the song with the lyrical line, “Can’t you feel me rising today?”  “Monday Mourning Meltdown,” on the other hand, is all jam.  The bluesy feel of the song conjures up a contagiously mellow atmosphere that gets moving with a few well-placed harmonies in the chorus.  The song then breaks down into a couple of raucous and funky keys and guitar riffs.  “Gordon James” acts as a ballad that is borderline country music, but Haynes instead steers the melancholy instrumentation toward wailing, woeful guitars and his own clear voice and southern sorrow.  As it is, “Gordon James” is probably the most  memorable track on By A Thread for its purity and rhapsodic passion.  “Inside Outside Woman Blues #3” is densely rhythmic and vehemently robust.  Bass and drums rumble along at the low end, keys trill wildly at the high end of the sound spectrum, and while Haynes’ vocals remain staunch and growling, his guitar sweeps the scales with a savage and hungry blaze.

Three years since their last studio album and Gov’t Mule is smoldering hotter and more aggressively than ever.  Each of the respective musicians’ explosive capabilities is singularly unmistakable, and together they are invincible.  Warren Haynes and Mule have big plans for this album’s tour, including the usual and widely popular festival circuit.  See you there.

412 words

Kate Langenburg/A&E Groove

My own excitement overwhelms me…Furthur has just released their winter tour dates!

Okay, so who the f is Further? Remember the Grateful Dead? Yeah, it’s some of those guys — guitarist Bob Weir and bassist Phil Lesh to be specific. But it’s also John Kadlecik, the guitarist who plays Jerry in Dark Star Orchestra, the number one Grateful Dead cover band. And then there’s Joe Russo, Jay Lane, and Jeff Chimenti, too!

It seems that for their first ride around the country, they’ve decided to hit a lot of large venues…Radio City Music Hall to name one. But not only that, they’ve also booked college campuses, too. I think they’ve figured out where their audiences are! They’re going to colleges like Lehigh University, the University of Delaware, Cornell University, and the University of Massachusetts. Joy!

Well, rather than me just ramble on about how great this all is, let me give you the link to the tour dates page so you can see for yourself: FURTHUR TOUR DATES.

Okay, so what’s going to happen to DSO when John Kadlecik leaves them? According to the band’s website, they will press on. Having gone through quite a few members in the past years, this band has the oomph to keep on going. But good luck finding another “Jerry Garcia” quite as good as Kadlecik.

It’s all for the best, really. Furthur comprises some of the most talented jam musicians in the country. This band is sure to be a hit with Dead fans and jam band fans alike. They will play Grateful Dead songs, of course, but will also venture away into their own material, too. I’m ready for them to take me FURTHUR!

Self described as Jam Band, Electronica, and Experimental The Disco Biscuits did not dissappoint at the House of Blues Sunset Strip(check the schedule).  After a cancelation earlier this year they showed up to a huge walk up crowd.  Thats what I love about jam band followers, they just show up! Why plan ahead and get tickets in advance!? If its meant to be it will all work out!  It did!

The floor was full of bodies in motion as the music would build and drop and build into an intense pulsating mix of sound and lights.  In fact, the light show is a huge part of the experience.  The Biscuits tour with 5 huge top of the line laser lights that can run anywhere from $30,000 to over $100,000 each in addition to the floor lights and other effects like smoke machines…although I think the fans were helping with that!  One of the next tour stops puts them in what better place, Jamaica, for a Caribbean Holidaze Show.

Tis the season…wish I could join them!

~JJ~

Official Poster – 11/18/09 – Cobo Arena, Detroit, MI
Poster by Methane Studios © Phish 2009.

A MUST HAVE!!!

Virginia Coalition is probably the best jam band that has yet to hit mainstream. If you enjoy O.A.R. or Dave Matthews Band at all you will love Virginia Coalition. They have opened for O.A.R. before and I would go as far as to say that they are even better live than O.A.R. They met in the early 1990’s and released their first album 1998. The album I chose to review is probably my favorite live album (quite a compliment coming from a DMB enthusiast). It is a two disc album that was recorded live in Washington D.C. and the quality is amazing and the best part is it actually sounds better than their studio CDs! The music is amazing. The band consists of

• Andrew Poliakoff – lead vocals, guitar, percussion
• Paul Ottinger – keyboards, percussion, vocals, bass guitar, guitar,
• Jarrett Nicolay – bass guitar, banjo, guitar, vocals
• Adam Dawson – drums

They are the definition of a jam band with lyrics that doesn’t always make the most sense but with a great use of percussion, key boards, instruments, and vocals. The songs are almost all fun and relaxed. The best part about the album is it includes songs from all of their previous albums, and arguably the best ones from them. The hit song “Green and Grey” is the best song on the album. It has the best jams, and is the most fun song on the album. The album consists of a cover of “Lean on Me” which is very well done, more instrumental involvement than the original version. Other songs to look for on the album are “Places People” “Mason Dixon”and “Walk to Work”.

I recommend visiting their website to see if they are coming near you because they typically perform at small values and tickets are cheap. I was fortunate enough to see them at the beginning of the summer of 2008 and tickets were 20 dollars and I got to stand front row. It was one of, if not the, most fun concerts I have been to. The album does a great job catching the energy that is present at their concerts.

Overall:  8/10     A MUST HAVE ON YOUR IPOD!!!

Best Songs: “Green and Grey” “Lean on Me” “Walk to Work” “Places People”

Similar Artists: O.A.R., Dave Matthews Band, Pat McGee Band

One Down Fall: Some songs sound the same and some jams are mediocre

Unfortunately there are no good quality videos or streams of this album, but I highly recommend the download on itunes, and if you only get one song definitely get “Green and Grey”

Try this link to listen to green and grey, it should work: http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/song/Green_And_Grey/3184163

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Spiral Stairs after a pair of albums under the group nom de plume Preston School Of Industry, Pavement co-founder Scott Kannberg, aka Spiral Stairs, makes his bona fide solo debut with an October 20 LP/CD/digital album release of ‘The Real Feel’ (OLE 858)…READ MORE

Read Pitchfork’s Review

Spiral Stairs Stolen Pills

Currently listening to: Nefarious Jones – Stonehendge is a Boneyard

It’s been some time since I’ve been able to find band promotion in the ladies room, so I’m going to go with the next best thing: a poster I found in the ladies room of the Sunset Tavern, and a band recommendation I got from our waiter at The Root Table.

Andy, our waiter and also the the man behind vocals and keyboard in Nefarious Jones, described their genre as “jam band.” While listening to the first song on their Myspace, Camelback, I agreed. The 8-minute song reminded me of music you would hear in an italian restaurant, only in a more 6-string, drunk guitar solo kind of way.  

Soccer Mom (song dos), started with the same party talk background as the first, but this time included vocals. See: Scott Stapp in a jam band. Also see: me changing the song.

Stonehendge is a Boneyard begins very mellow, almost in a creepy, Nirvana-esque way. The muffled vocals and loud cymbals immediately leave my mind wandering away from the music, to envisioning these guys in someone’s blacklit room smoking joints in between playing.

While this music is definitely a step off the main road most of us are used to, it is most likely enjoyed most by friends and family of the bandmates. To hear all eight tracks by Nefarious Jones for yourself, visit www.myspace.com/nefariousjonesseattle.

Event Name: Phish
Event Date: 11/1/09 – Day 3
Venue: Indio Polo Field – Festival 8
City: Indio
State: CA

This is a qoute taken from @musicloverchick, that was tweeted last night after the last show of the festival.

“Get outta town you hippies, you circus freaks!”-

security guy yelling at phan upon exiting. I cant stop laughing

The set for the moe.show in Albany on Halloween can be found here:

http://www.jambase.com/Articles/Story.aspx?StoryID=20293

Event Name: Phish
Event Date: 10/30/09 – Day 1
Venue: Indio Polo Field – Festival 8
City: Indio
State: CA

This is a qoute taken from Dave O’s article at Glide Magazine:

Best quote of the night, for me anyway. A group of us were sitting down on the ground between sets one and two when a displaced girl rolled up and said,

“Is there a dancing banana here by you guys?”

Hilarity ensued. A few people already in costume tonight and in the spirit.

Roster McCabe, the amazing Jam/Electronica/Rock/Funk/Reggae band out of  the Minnesota area will be playing a FREE SHOW at Club 151 on November 20th, 2009.

These guys play an amazing show, that people of all ages can get out and dance to.

The show will start at 9:00 PM

Club 151 is located on 151 E 3rd St, Winona, Minnesota 55987

In the band we have:

“Roster McCabe, which expertly dabble in jazz and reggae, spent the summer playing big outdoor gigs at the 10,000 Lakes Festival and Milwaukee’s Summerfest and sharpening its chops in the process. “– Saint Paul Pioneer Press

Click down below for more Roster

http://www.myspace.com/rostermccabe

If you can’t make it over to the Deep Sea Summit show because it’s not your thing, then come on by Club 151 on Halloween night to see One Ton Gunn.

These guys are a band out of Winona, MN that play Rock/ Classic Rock/ Alternative music.

Listen to One Ton Gunn on Myspace!

http://www.myspace.com/onetongunn

Burning Man certainly has no shortage of weird bands, but the grandaddy of all weird Burner bands has to be Mutaytor, an ever-evolving burlesque troupe/electronic jam band/glorified drum circle that’s been making the rounds for at least a decade now. Once upon a time, they were basically just one dude drumming and another dude twirling knobs on one of those little synthesizers that makes that “eeh-eeh-eeh” sound that was really popular with bands like Prodigy and Chemical Borthers back in the nineties. But at some point, it evolved (sorry, mutated) into more of a full band project, with lots of instruments besides drums played by, y’know, actual musicians. (Including–and this is probably my favorite part–the former bass player from Oingo Boingo.)

These days, a typical Mutaytor show includes burlesque dancers, acrobats, aerielists, a horn section, hula hoopers, Chinese dragons and (venue permitting) lots of fire.  Somebody give this band a residency in Vegas, already!

Links:

• Mutaytor official site
• Mutaytor on MySpace

Early twentieth century pop music has not been the only musical context in which ring shout tropes are featured. American “jam bands” such as Phish have employed ring shout tropes to great success over the course of their careers, and in doing so have created a different type of cultural context in which these tropes exist. 

I will use the band Phish to examine tropes in a jam band’s live music. Phish songs often encourage audience interaction. The introduction to the song “Wilson” features guitarist Trey Anastasio playing two notes, then pausing so that the audience can chant back “Wil-son.” This example of a call-and-response device can be viewed in the first 18 seconds of the video here:

Phish – Wilson

Phish returns to the call-and-response trope midway through the song, at the 1:54 mark.

Another type of trope featured in Phish shows is vocal interjections and other types of rhythmic-vocal declamations. The end of “Wilson” features a final chorus, then a build-up of tension that a first time listener would expect to end the song. However, the Phish fan knows what to expect: excited gibberish from Trey before the band goes into the final instrumental section. This can be viewed at the 3:15 mark.

Jam bands in general are indebted to jazz music for they rely on improvisation to be successful. They develop a widespread, almost cultish following because fans are guaranteed a completely different experience at each concert. At the same time, fans are loyal to their favorite bands because there will always be the appeal of familiarity, and this familiarity comes in the form of tropes. Only two were listed above, but Phish concerts regularly feature everything from call-and-response to off-beat melodic phrasings, timbral distortion, and, often most importantly, game rivalry. Fans often enjoy listening to an extended jam in which you can hear the musicians building off one another, distinguishing themselves from each other while contributing to the song as a whole. In this “Ghost” jam (scroll to 5:30), the focus is the guitar solo (which features timbral distortion), but Trey’s expert playing would not be the same without the support of Paige McConnell’s improvisation on the keyboards.

Phish – Ghost

Phish is successful due to the workings of the folk discourse. Jam bands are all about the experience; they represent the coming together of a group of people (“hippies” more often than not) to share in the type of music they all enjoy. The pre-concert parking lots are filled with people looking to buy and sell tickets, homemade merchandise, and often times grilled cheese. These fans discuss past shows at which they may have met each other as well as what songs they expect to be included on the set list that night. Message boards are flooded with discussions of shows, and tropes are frequently a part of these discussions—fans will always discuss which jams they thought were great and why. I will leave you with a video of a typical parking lot before a Phish show; it should provide insight into the communal aspect of Phish. (At 3:58 a fan compares Phish to jazz)

Phish Parking Lot on Trio

Derek Fischer