ALBUM REVIEW: The Roots of Chicha: Psychedelic Cumbias from Peru

April 23rd, 2010 • Album Review, Commentary, World • 2 comments

Spring Break, yes indeed.

I will never claim that Cancun, Mexico is the most “authentic” foreign excursion in El Mundo, but no American really wants to stick out like a sore thumb. My travelmates and I have found an album that we can bump that helps us blend in a little better with the locals. I pulled this puppy off my second favorite blog on the interwebs, Boingboing.net. Its called The Roots of Chicha: Psychedelic Cumbias from Peru, and it is solid frickin’ gold start-to-finish.

Chicha is actually a genre of music named after a corn-based liquor that the Incas used to drink way back when. I, however, think of a tall daiquiri or something served in a coconut when I hear these tunes. The explanation from the album’s Myspace page describes an interesting back-story for how this liquor-turned-genre got its start: Read more »

BOBCATRACKS 4

April 16th, 2010 • BOBCATRACKS • No comments

ALBUM REVIEW: “Kush and Orange Juice” by Wiz Khalifa

April 16th, 2010 • Album Review, Hip Hop • No comments

Though hip-hop suffers less from it, just as in any other genre the most popular artists are never the ones pushing the envelope (I’m looking at you Jay-Z, Wayne, Kanye). Then who is? Without giving these two guys too much credit, for me it’s Curren$y and Wiz Khalifa. Khalifa’s usually the sidekick character (see How Fly) but on his latest mixtape Kush and Orange Juice he brings his trademark rap/speak to a new plane.

Yes, nearly every song is about weed, money and girls but the production is staggering. Anybody who listens to Kid Cudi should be listening to Wiz. The flow of the album is impeccably crafted. “Mezmorized” lives up to its name before giving way to “We’re Done”; easily the best use of a Disney movie sample in music history. This is where Khalifa carves out a place for himself, taking risks that others wouldn’t without the end product sounding like 808s and Heartbreak (thankfully autotune only makes one brief appearance on “Pedal To The Medal”). Read more »

Music Video Log 4/16/10

April 16th, 2010 • Video • No comments

Here are another four music videos that are pretty cool in my opinion.

Broken Bells – The High Road

A great piece of surrealist film and a great song.

Caribou – Odessa

An ode to the lap dissolve.

Avett Brothers – I and Love and You

A little late to be completely new, but I am working on a geologic time scale here.

The Morning Benders – Excuses (Yours Truly Session)

Basically incredible.

Read more »

ALBUM REVIEW: “Broken Bells” by Broken Bells

April 15th, 2010 • Album Review, Rock • No comments

My music taste flows in waves of obsession. What I might have listened to nonstop in October, I more than likely, do not listen to all that much today. As jaded as this may seem, my personal love for albums seems to be relatively fleeting.

My personal obsession is the eponymous album Broken Bells born out of a collaboration between Danger Mouse (Brian Burton) and James Mercer of the Portland, Oregan band, The Shins. While this pairing initially seems like a blending of opposites, but this real-life mash-up is nothing short of musical gold. Read more »

CONCERT REVIEWS: A fantastic week of music for Paris – Frightened Rabbit and The Very Best

April 15th, 2010 • Concert Review, Electronic, Rock, Video • No comments

It was a fantastic week for music in Paris. Frightened Rabbit played Tuesday night at Le Flèche d’Or, and The Very Best graced Social Club the following evening. The groups put on shows that are practically polar opposites, but both nights proved to be brilliant in their own right. Read more »

WRBC CHARTS & ADDS 4/13/10

April 12th, 2010 • Charts • No comments

ALBUM REVIEW: “If It’s Right” by Yellow Roman Candles

April 11th, 2010 • Album Review, Folk, Maine • No comments

As far as I am concerned, Bates is fortunate to be located in the state of Maine for a variety of reasons. Among these are easy access to the mountains and the ocean, really fantastic sushi, friendly people and ample Poland Spring Water. Of course, Maine has long been a bastion of great folk music as well, and, emblematic of this scene, which has produced, among others, Ray LaMontagne, is a new band out of Maine’s city of ships, Bath.

Yellow Roman Candles is the brainchild of singer-songwriter Aaron Morse, and based on their first release, If It’s Right, there is a sense that this band could really make a run at achieving a certain level of national notoriety. The album certainly has shades of LaMontagne’s earlier work. Its gritty and working-class sensibilities leave the listener transported to perhaps a greater understanding of the plight of much of middle America. Read more »

ALBUM REVIEW: “Volume Two” by She & Him

April 11th, 2010 • Album Review, Folk • No comments

Hailing from Portland, Oregon, the city that has spawned numerous great performers of the so-called anti-folk/alt-country genre such as Blitzen Trapper and The Shins, comes She & Him, a collaboration between guitarist M. Ward and singer Zooey Deschanel. Their most recent album, titled Volume Two, was released in the middle of March and has since attracted much interest, and for good reason.

Of course people are intrigued by Deschanel after having made a breakout performance in one of the summer’s hottest indie films, (500) Days of Summer, but this album is more than the average young Hollywood actress trying to horizontally integrate her entertainment brand in the same way of Lindsay Lohan, Hillary Duff and Paris Hilton.

Volume Two is certainly not a pop album. The instrumentation floats within the territory of traditional American folk, which contrasts comfortably with the lyrics and vocals which are reminiscent of the early days of Rock and Roll. Read more »

BOBCATRACKS 3

April 8th, 2010 • BOBCATRACKS • No comments