No intro, no caveats, these are my choices from the last ten.  Let’s Go!

Aijuswanaseing (2000) – Musiq Soulchild

OK, so he p*ssed me off when his played the Jazz Cafe in 2008… still I cannot deny the sheer greatness of this neo-soul masterpiece.

The Blueprint (2001) – Jay-Z

Jigga’s second best album was still shades ahead of the majority of hip-hop then, still is now and will be for sometime (even if Em did kick his ass on Renegade).

College Dropout (2004) – Kanye West

Every rapper talks about ‘changing the game,’ Kanye actually did it with this record.

Eyes Open (2006) – Snow Patrol

I know this one may be wrong, however I loved this album and still now – somethings I cannot explain, like how this remains in constant rotation year-on-year.

Floetic (2002) – Floetry

Why on earth some of the best British talent has to go stateside to get a hearing I’ll never know, all I do know is I am glad Floetry did – neo-sublime.

For Emma, Forever Ago (2008) – Bon Iver

This is an album written by a broken man, and you probably won’t get it until you too are broken in pieces – only then does it all make sense.  Breathtaking.

Frank (2003) – Amy Winehouse

Honest song-writing, and cheeky beats made for a quintessentially British soul album that was just good music, pure and simple.

The Great Unwanted (2007) – Lucky Soul

I cannot explain what makes me love this album as much as I do; its carefree nature, the retro sounds… I don’t know.  All I do know is it’s f***ing awesome!

Half These Songs Are About You (2005) – Nizlopi

This album reinvented folk music, giving it life and energy and taking into the next millennium – a unique interpretation on a time old genre.

In Search Of… (2002) – N*E*R*D

Most ‘experimental’ hip-hop albums fail.  This on the other hand was a monumental success and confirmed The Neptunes one of the great production teams of our time.

The Magnificent (2002) – DJ Jazzy Jeff

The best example of what happens when hip-hop and soul music fuse as one.  Essential listening, as any record boasting Jill Scott, Eric Roberson, J-Live, Shawn Stockman, to name a few, should be.

Original Pirate Material (2002) – The Streets

This was the album to capture the feelings and tell the stories of an entire lost generation of urban dwellers.  The quasi-spoken word flow made it all even more relevant.

Our Time Is Coming (2001) – Masters At Work

A soulful house masterpiece and it captured everything these great producers stand for, from Latin beats to uber-chilled melodic vocals (and a moving outtro).

Raised By Wolves EP (2005) – Voxtrot

Rasised by Wolves is a simply amazing EP. Period.  It gave this band somewhat of a indie-cult status and should have been heard by so many more people.

Silent Alarm (2005) – Bloc Party

If it we not for this album I would not even be listening to Indie music.  Aggressive, bold, exciting, with a rare ability to transcend genre.

Sincere (2000) – MJ Cole

When UK Garage was at its height and the music-snobs were saying it lacked ‘merit’ MJ Cole turned around, put two fingers up and dropped a slice of genius on them.

Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003) – Outkast

This was the album to give Outkast the wholesale acclaim they deserved.  In essence two solo albums, they complemented each other perfectly; Big Boi’s bravado vs. Andre 3000’s psycadelic heartache.

A Tale of Two Cities (2006) – Mr Hudson & the Library

One of the hidden treasures of my record collection and it always surprises me how good this album is.  It shouldn’t be this good… but it really is no matter how much I try to pretend it isn’t.

The Tipping Point (2004) – The Roots

I cannot find fault in this album.  While not the cult classic of The Tipping Fault it is an exceptional piece of Hip Hop; strong beats, stronger lyrics – Black Thought, Top 10 all time?

The Vault 1.5 (2004) – Eric Roberson

Potentially my favourite album of all time – neo-soul at its most intoxicating.  If you don’t own this already, but it now… it will change your life!

Viva La Hova (2008) – Mick Boogie and Terry Urban

Critics went crazy Grey Album while the Hip-Hop community was fairly lukewarm on it.  This album, mixing Jay-Z with Coldplay is everything the Grey Album was and 25x more.

Who Is Jill Scott? (2000) – Jill Scott

This album sparked a genre of music and one of the best expressions of neo-soul to date.  Warm and tender, like a loving embrace on a cold winter’s night.

Word of Mouf (2001) – Ludacris

Most artists suffer from the sophomore album curse, however Luda’s 2^nd album is still his best work to date; obnoxious, chauvinistic, rude and all with his tongue firmly imprinted in his cheek.  Rap the way it should be.

X&Y (2005) – Coldplay

Yes, Parachutes was a subtly beautiful album, and Rush of Blood… sold truck loads, however it was while listening to X&Y that goosebumps on my cheeks.

…Left (2007) – Eric Roberson

I tried my hardest to not put two Roberson albums on this list… however The Vault 1.5 and …Left are amongst my all time favourites.  …Left took Roberson’s sound in a more R&B direction and was  sensational (buy this one too!).

Soulside Funk

Ps. Braveheart Party! No great album can include a song that bad.  Period.  This should not even be a discussion.

Some stats…

Listen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkW1FX7cbxs

I ran across this band in the last few weeks listening to some alternative online radio station. I’m finding more and more music I love by going online and avoiding regular stations.

This is a very impressive track. Kind of a mix of pop and alternative to me. Great hook but has a musical edge to it that I love. Some great orchestration towards the end.

Lyrics here, more below:
(intro a German couple’s conversation in German – not sure if it’s from a movie)
Do you spend your whole life
Trying to get back home?
Where do you go?
Keeno eyes unfold you in a kodachrome
And your feelings show

Wadda you know, baby?
Wadda you know?
Wadda you know
About where I come from?
Wadda you know, tell me?
Wadda you know
About who I am?

When I see you naked
I see more than flesh
Do you see the same thing?

Entertainment value
No I couldn’t care less
The feelings hide

And you were so young, baby
You were so young
Dragging your feet
In the face of creation
I was so young yah
We were so young
And still there was you
Center of me
Always said there was you
Center of me

I don’t know you, baby
You don’t know me
We were just victims
Of the same situation

Babies been born
Tell me what you’d die for
We were just born
To miss this life

Could we please get married?
Take this just for us
The way we would do

It doesn’t make much sense
But maybe nothing does
And never will

And these gifts keep turning
These lives keep burning
And the love keeps changing around you
Stuck in one place
Painting your face
The colour of milk
The colour of sky
The colours of you
The colours don’t lie

I don’t know you, baby
You don’t know me
We were just victims
Of the same situation

Babies been born
Tell me what you’d die for
Then just grow cold
But the feeling stays

(Some more German conversation)

And what do you know?
Tell me, what do you know?
You don’t know me
Don’t you question my love

And what do you know?
Tell me, what do you know?
You don’t know me
Don’t you question my love

(Echoing German)

Such a bizarre and interesting collection of lyrics. They give off the sense of a couple circling each other. Always wanting, trying to connect but perhaps never able to. As I listened to this over and over I began to wonder if they had a baby that died and that’s the shaft that keeps driving between them. Hard to say. But that’s half the fun isn’t it? Listening, feeling and watching the colours change as you do.

Keep your eye out for this Texas indie gem!

♫ : Voxtrot

Drilling Holes In My Head

So I decided to put together a mix for today… that Tofurky isn’t going to cook itself and I thought it would be good to have a mix for while we’re cooking (OK… admittedly I’m going to be mostly drinking and getting in Chandi’s way while she cooks). After I put the mix together I decided that I was pretty happy with it so I thought that I would put it up here in the spirit of sharing.

It’s really more a sampling of a some things, old and new, that I have been listening to lately and less a Thanksgiving mix. However, I tried to keep it mostly upbeat, so hopefully it will be a good mix for cooking/hanging out/enjoying a day off. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Pop / Ben Barnett (from Songs About Zombies and Trust Issues)
2. Give Me Back My Heart Attack / Land of Talk (from Some Are Lakes)
3. Happens To Us All Otherwise / Bound Stems (from The Family Afloat)
4. Anna / Hello Saferide (from More Modern Short Stories from Hello Saferide)
5. Through My Gloves / Forest Fire (from Survival)
6. Fake Blues / Real Estate (from Fake Blues/Green River 7″)
7. Try To Think About Me (Don’t Worry A Bit) / Herman Dune (from Next Year in Zion)
8. Changes Are No Good / The Stills (from Logic Will Break Your Heart)
9. Drop It Doe Eyes / Los Campesinos! (from Hold on Now, Youngster…)
10. Barnacle Goose / Born Ruffians (from Red, Yellow and Blue)
11. Four Long Days / Voxtrot (from Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives)
12. A Trenchant Critique / Owen (from New Leaves)
13. Into The Stream / The Tallest Man on Earth (from Shallow Graves)
14. Sex Bodies / Matthew Hemerlein (from EP 2)
15. Stopped Signs / A Wonderful (from Uncorked Understandings)
16. Friends They Are Jewels / Iron and Wine (from Around the Well)

Again, I really hope you like it. And please, if there is anything above that you haven’t heard and really like go buy their lp/disc from your favorite independent record store… or better yet go see the band live and buy it from them.

Saturday night found us rushing to get to the Mohawk for their after show. As we were heading towards Red River, we could hear The Octopus Project playing “Music is Happiness” (my favorite of their songs) and as it turns out they only had three songs left in them. As late as it was, the line still went out the door and by the time we got in they were playing their last song. I was disappointed because they’re a fantastic to see live, but at least I got to see Yvonne in her plum sequined frock, looking like a tight rope walker.

Even though we missed all of the opening bands, I was happy that we made it for all of Voxtrot’s set. The band rarely plays live shows these days and I’d never had the chance to see them. I knew I would have a good time after the band came on stage to set up. They were in a great mood and ready to interact with the audience. When lead singer Ramesh Srivastava walked onto the stage, a girl behind me said, “OK. I still think he’s cute”, which seemed to be the consensus of the women in the room. At first sight Srivastava doesn’t look like a heartthrob, but with his soulful eyes, endearing dance moves (think a combination of Elvis, Stuart Murdoch and James Brown), soft voice and romantic lyrics it’s no surprise that indie girls swoon for him.

All of Voxtrot’s songs are catchy, with easy-to-learn lyrics and an infectious dance beat, but a few stood out that night. “The Start of Something”  is one of their more popular tunes and the one the audience, including me, reacted to the most. It’s a sweet song and almost nobody in the audience was standing still when they played it. I even let myself go and dance with a woman who had been invading my personal space during the entire set. When they played their cover of The The’s “This Is the Day”, my feelings of being back in the 1980s (in a good way) were crystallized. Srivastava seemed nervous about the song, but he put his unique brand on it. That is why I like Voxtrot–they take elements from past musical eras (mainly the 1980s with a little 1960s sprinkled in), but they still make their own sound. Their piano ballads, particularly “Soft and Warm”, stood out for me, probably because I’m a huge fan of power pop.

Overall, I was impressed with Voxtrot’s performance. They have great chemistry, with each other and the audience. They obviously love what they do, which always makes for a great show.

BUS070 Voxtrot – The Start of Something 7″ (2004).  Co-release with Cult Hero Records (Cult 001).

1. The Start of Something
2. Dirty Version

so long summer. can’t say i’ll miss you much. you bastard.

key of dreams – africa (rune lindbaek edit)

chris isaak – wicked game (trentemoller businessman dubby games remix)

bebel gilberto – bring back the love (mungolian jetset mix)

my voxtrot remix is awesome. you should listen to it.

-bv-

Totally digging them right now and had to dedicate a post to them. Somebody sent me this song before, but my musical tastes hadn’t metamorphosed enough to fully appreciate them until now.

lions and tigers could’ve been better than this…

voxtrot – mothers, sisters, daughters and wives (haircuts for men edit)

-bv-

tis quite old but tis quite good

The Start Of Something – Voxtrot

I come from a long line of military people in my family. Uncles (My Uncle Manuel was in Vietnam, Uncle Phil was dodging bullets in Grenada in the 80’s) Cousins (My cousin Eric fought in Operation Desert Storm & was photographed with General Schwarzkopf, lost my cousin Seth in Iraq a couple of years ago) & my Grandfather (My Grandfather holed up in a cave for 3 days in the Philippines in WWII with a bullet wound in his leg). So, needless to say,  I have a strong affinity for the welfare of soldiers. Which is probably why I’ve been in a perpetual state of 80’s rewind this week as I can’t get enough of “Love Vigilantes’ by New Order.

It speaks of a soldier returning from the war & all he wants is to see his wife & child. He speaks of being proud to be able to put his life on the line for his country & glad that he’s alive to see it again. He then discovers that when he gets home his wife is in tears because she was informed of his death. For all intents & purposes the song ends there.

It is rare today outside of hokey country music songs that we have songs that share things from the side of the soldier. Though, I will say this, we have come a long way as a country since Vietnam. The condemnation of soldiers for going somewhere they have no choice in going to is never acceptable. I’m not trying to get on a soapbox & tell people how to act, but I find it telling that we as a country care so much about our soldiers now. We should.

Throughout history we have been regaled with stories of bravery from the Knights of the Round Table, General Sherman’s Troops in the Civil War, the Great Roman Troops of Julius Caesar to today’s brave young men.They do what we cannot. They risk their lives for complete strangers, for an idea that the country is bigger than the self. It is the most noble of causes to sacrifice oneself for the greater good. Something many of us could not fathom as we sit in our comfortable, air conditioned rooms.

Robert E. Lee said:

What a cruel thing is war:  to separate and destroy families and friends, and mar the purest joys and happiness God has granted us in this world; to fill our hearts with hatred instead of love for our neighbors, and to devastate the fair face of this beautiful world.

We continue to send young men to their deaths for our ideals. As a writer it is my duty to take a stand on one side or the other, but herein lies the conundrum I face. On the one hand is the family tradition of brave soldiers who feel the weight of war on their backs & live with that burden daily & yet on the other I despise war. I find it to be an awful way to find peace. To kill for peace is to seek the lowest form of compromise.I condemn war for all that is, but I adore those that give their young lives to save mine.

“I’m fed up to the ears with old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in.”  – George McGovern

“The military don’t start wars.  Politicians start wars.” – William Westmoreland

Love Vigilantes – New Order

Love Vigilantes – Laura Cantrell

Love Vigilantes – Voxtrot

MP3: Voxtrot – Berlin, Without Return…

I love this song for all the right reasons.What the hell does that mean? I could explain, but I rather you just listen to the song.

WATCH HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkW1FX7cbxs

Voxtrot

Voxtrot sounds like its a band that didn’t forget the eighties.  But this isn’t a bad thing, rather they come off as the Smith’s heir apparent, with dashes of The Strokes thrown in.  Ear candy for the music fan who wishes more bands were like The Smiths, and ear candy for the music fan that loves a good early Motown meets classic pop melody.

The Start of Something

the warm somewhat unclearly recorded vocals only makes this song more endearing, and it does give you that warm feeling of starting to fall in love, euphoric.

Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives

Excellent transition from a reverbed opening into clanging chords, great guitar and drum work on here and just goes to show the bands ability to stretch their style.

Kid Gloves

Yet another variation and undeniably catchy

Berlin, Without Return

This song stands up to some of Spoons best, great build, great arrangment, simple and beautiful

The xx

The xx is a very intriguing band in the way they develop their songs, arrangements play a huge role in what makes them good, and the dual female and male lead singers only help their cause

Basic Space

theres a lot of space in the arrangement as the title might suggest, and the harmony betweeen Oliver Sim and Romy Madley Croft is sublime.  Croft has a beautiful achy voice that just cuts right into you

Crystalized

Ever wonder what it would sound like if Thom Yorke had a female counterpart to sing with in Radiohead, I do, and this gives you a little glimpse.

Heart Skipped A Beat

It’s amazing they manage to take drum loops and make them sound like they fit nowhere else but in their songs, and this is a great duet

Coconut Records

Coconut Records is the brainchild of actor Jason Schwartzman, yes that actor who played that annoying kid in Rushmore and is also known for playing drums for ‘that band that played the theme song to The O.C.‘ (Phantom Planet). Don’t let that dissuade you though, Schwartzman has a knack for crafting pop melodies, and he plays all the instruments on the record as well.  Think of  Elliot Smith except more upbeat.  Schwartzman fully deserves to be recognized as a musician and an actor, not an actor/musician, because there is a difference.

Drummer

Off of Davy, his latest release, this song mocks his fame as a musician, and its got a great melody to boot

Saint Jerome

Somehow Schwartzman came upon the perfect meld of sound between his voice, guitar and piano, sure the arrangement is nothing groundbreaking but it sounds fresh in his hands

Microphone

He certainly has his own sound but his knack for making great pop melodies reminds me of Paul McCartney and thats not a stretch

West Coast

Off of his first album Nighttiming, everything about this song is perfect from the synthesizer to the organic backing instruments to his beautiful background harmonies.

this one’s an old one but my roommate was playing it this morning and in honor of certain events in her life, I think it’s worth sharing.

“The Start of Something” by Voxtrot is cute and vaguely Smiths-y. you can download it here from Prefix, or at least I think so. let me know if that link doesn’t work. I downloaded it earlier this year but I’m not sure where…

also radio programming is supposed to start up this week, but I’m still not totally sure when my show is since I had to work through the meeting today. I will post the time as soon as I know, though!

but now it’s time to unwind from a very very long night at work and maybe whip up a podcast if I feel like it.

You might have heard that Voxtrot has been making some new music lately, and even released a 7″ a couple weeks ago with two new songs. The A-side is called “Berlin Without Return…” and on the flip is “The Dream Lives of Ordinary People.” I believe both songs were produced by Spoon’s Jim Eno in Austin, TX.

In both songs, I can hear hints from their first two EPs, but the sonic grandieur of their LP also. Both songs are enjoyable, and you should purchase them on limited vinyl from their website.

Here’s a free mp3 of their other one-off single.

♫ Trepanation Party

Voxtrot – Berlin, Without Return…

photo credit: ashley hopper

with the first day of summer fest behind us, the wwm fam and friends once again descended upon eleanor tinsley park to bear witness (get it?) to sets from even more texas bands and a modern-day glam rock headliner. the day would be full of scattered showers, endless vitamin water, a paint slide, and a trippy little guy who only came to be known as ‘hippie mike‘.

-sunbear

photo credit: mark c. austin

we arrived at summerfest: day two, quickly claiming our spot from the previous day as austin’s eastern sea were in mid set. with enough band members to rival broken social scene and more musical talent to boot (lookit an accordion!) the eastern sea treated us to their pastoral indie-folk. their warm tranquil sound was a perfectly peaceful introduction to the day’s festivities.

the eastern sea on myspace

photo credit: mark c. austin

with the rain causing a delay to the entire festival, houston’s very own sideshow tramps took it upon themsleves to cut their set time and cram a whole 45 minutes of energy into their rollicking 15 minute set. turns out the freewheeling americana-inspired rock and roll was just what houston needed after the dreary weather that plagued the festival. i’ve only two words to describe their performance: “honky-tonk”. take that to the bank and cash it.

sideshow tramps on myspace

photo credit: mark c. austin

ah, the adorable ankle-biters of wild moccasins. already locally renowned for their pop prowess as well as their playful live shows, the houston quintet possessed an unbridled energy, perfectly reflecting their youthful exuberance. the sprightly moccasins played to their twee-strengths, dual vocalists cody swann and zahira guitierrez harmonizing perfectly to their keyboards and quirky guitar licks courtesy of andrew lee. our tutu clad leading lady even bombarded the audience with water-balloons prior to their hit “fruit tea”. quite possibly the cutest moment of summerfest. this band has such a bright future and it’s gratifying to see them play to such a large audience that the moccasins are certainly worthy of.

the wild moccasins on myspace
download:
wild moccasins – fruit tea

photo credit: mark c. austin

new york’s prince paul treated houston to a dj set of self-described “hip-hop history”. originating from the same native-tongues collective that spawned a tribe called quest and de la soul, prince paul certainly has the roots and authority to give houston a proper “hip-hop 101″. assembling cuts from all corners and eras of hip-hop, from black sheep, to nas, to dr. dre, prince paul proved to be the most proficient teacher, all the while moving bodies.

prince paul on myspace
download:
de la soul – ghetto thang

photo credit: mark c. austin

austin’s smiths-y, lo-fi kings of twee voxtrot took the stage to the clamor of the younger ladies of summerfest. lead singer/guitarist ramesh srivastava played to the audience, regularly commenting on their voxtrot-related attire as well as the heat, which almost took him with it as it blighted the stage. still the young men of voxtrot played on, ramesh’s confectionery sweet vocals unmarred by the sweltering sun, the music as bouncy and lively as their core audience. songs from their first two eps sounded beefier and more realized and their musicianship was remarkably tight: an exuberant and refreshing pop addition to the summer festivities.

voxtrot on myspace
download:
voxtrot – kid gloves

photo credit: mark c. austin

it’s difficult to pin a single genre of music to what made milwaukee famous save to say they sound much akin to their austin bretheren spoon; if spoon embraced the power-pop of big star with both arms, that is. comparisons aside wmmf played a rousing set of songs that kept the kinetic energy alive: the perfect summertime festival band.

what made milwaukee famous on myspace
download:
what made milwaukee famous – sultan

photo credit: mark c. austin

devin the dude came out simultaneously with everyone’s peace pipes and kind bud. a cloud of mary j. smoke brushed over the crowd as the dude breezed through his catalog. he even treated the crowd to his patented verbal beatboxing ability. it’s always a good thing to be able to claim artists as hometown heroes, but it could be better. i mean, he’s a great performer and all, but you can only enjoy so many songs about receiving oral sex and smoking reefer when you aren’t under the influence.

devin the dude on myspace
download:
dr. dre – fuck you f. devin the dude and snoop dogg

photo credit: mark c. austin

the always flamboyant and flashy of montreal brought their whole stage setup to summerfest: disco-inspired drum risers, kaleidoscopic projections of psychedelia, confetti, and more costumes than a halloween party. it all made for a grand spectacle that of which i’m fairly certain not a single person could discern any significance. there were the gas mask-family presenting a smoldering present to a rabbit-like humanoid, the gold buddha that mysteriously vanished into thin air, and what could only be described as oogie-boogie from the nightmare before christmas. presentation aside (and there was much to be seen), of montreal executed their songs splendidly, kevin barnes making for a formidable frontman, prancing about like a young bowie, to the extent that they even covered “moonage daydream”: his sexiness and ambiguous dancing perfectly correlating to the music: a mix-mosh of electronica, soul, jangly pop and glam rock. compromised of equal parts of their latest album skeletal lamping to their older material, of montreal’s set played like a greatest hits collection: from the nascent disco synths of “the party’s crashing us now” to the overly pretentious movements of “beware our nubile miscreants”. for a band whose over the top theatrics threaten to overshadow their musicianship, of montreal proved that they are as adept a live band as they are a full on production. fun and gayness was had by all.

of montreal on myspace
download:
of montreal – she’s a rejector

————————————————————–
VIDEOS:

the wild moccasins performing “spanish + jazz” at the summerfest in houston, tx on 8-09-09

voxtrot performing “the start of something” at the summerfest in houston, tx on 8-09-09

devin the dude performing “do what you wanna do” at the summerfest in houston, tx on 8-09-09

don’t forget to check out the of montreal video post as well.

————————————————————–

that’s day two. see ya next year!

-sunbear

Do you spend your whole life trying to get back home? Oh, where do you go…

New song from a great band. “Berlin, Without Return” by Voxtrot. Definitely one of my favorite bands. Fronted by Ramesh Srivastava. Genius lyrics. Been on a hiatus as of late. They released three EP’s from 2005 and 2006 and a self titled album in 2007. I’ve only heard two songs since. This one is brilliant. The other track “Trepanation Party” was alright too. Click HERE to download. Really hope they release an album this year.

Voxtrot have released their first new record for a couple of years.

Titled Berlin, Without Return it’s the follow up to 2007’s self titled debut album and it’s singles which received a lukewarm reception in most quarters. However a listen to the single suggests that they are making a return to the fine run of brilliant singles they released in 2006.

The band have released the single on their own Cult Hero Label records in 7″ vinyl and digital formats. You can order it from here.

You can also download a free track called Trepanation Party from here.

My Space | Homepage

Apparently Thom Yorke and Bon Iver have written songs for the Twilight follow-up, New Moon. Still won’t make me watch it though