Music
I've been listening to some really great music lately, which I thought I'd recommend:
1. Congotronics 2 - V/A - This is a compilation of bands from Kinshasa, released by the people who brought Konono No. 1 to international (European/North American) attention. Nine tracks by nine bands, and at least 3 of them are house-flatteningly good. Seriously, like you-can't-turn-it-up-loud-enough-or-play-it-on-repeat-enough-times good. The album is alll tracks from bands that play a "modernized" amplified version or reinterpretation of traditional music from the Congo. Almost all involve heavy use of the likembe, a thumb piano. In addition to the amplification/electronification of the likembe, some pretty interesting cross-pollenation takes place, since Kinshasa is the capital city, attracting people from all over the enormous country that is Congo. This occurs both between multiple Congolese musical traditions and between Congolese music and "western" guitar music. My favorite tracks are from Kasai Allstars and Sobanza Mimanisa. The latter are the only to use guitar, playing power chords of all things, with their likembe and odd percussion (bottles, empty cans). I understand if you are wary about "world music" and worse, "world music afficianados," but seriously this fucking rules. Intensely repetitive, with extremely complex percussion patterns and rhythms, best played LOUD.
2. Gang of Four - Entertainment! - I assume many of you know this band and this album well. It took me a while to get around to listening to them seriously, but I'm glad I did. Sometimes music has to hit you at the right time, you know? I'm sure I've heard Gang of Four plenty over the years, but they never did much for me. Last weekend I bought this album on a whim (it's a re-release on CD, with 8 bonus tracks from live recordings and b-sides), and I'm glad I gave it another shot. Brilliant.
3. The Roots - Game Theory - I just got this today, so I can't talk at length, but this band is back, heading in some good challenging directions. My initial reaction is that they gave up on the spurious project of trying to appeal to the mainstream. Black Thought is still vicious and proud. The instrumentation is densely layered, with all kinds of surprising sounds and samples (cello, viola, violin, flute, various wind instruments, vocal choruses). And they picked a couple of fantastic singers to "feature" on a few tracks, including most impressively Maimouna Youssef on the track Don't Feel Right, which ought to be a radio hit. If there were any justice or integrity in the entertainment industry. Which there isn't.
4. Oh, and this is not music per se, but if you haven't seen Dave Chapelle's Block Party, get to it. It's fantastic. Great concert footage, funny jokes/scenes, and overall a good "documentary" approach rather than a traditional concert movie. But most of all, the film is really uplifting. That sounds corny and unlikely, I know. But really it is.
What have you been listening to lately that you'd recommend? Comment, please.
Oh, and botattack, I know I owe you some CDs from a long time back. I'm a lazy sod, but it's not that I don't care. Or that I forgot. It gnaws at my conscience, honest. One day, though. One day.
1. Congotronics 2 - V/A - This is a compilation of bands from Kinshasa, released by the people who brought Konono No. 1 to international (European/North American) attention. Nine tracks by nine bands, and at least 3 of them are house-flatteningly good. Seriously, like you-can't-turn-it-up-loud-enough-or-play-it-on-repeat-enough-times good. The album is alll tracks from bands that play a "modernized" amplified version or reinterpretation of traditional music from the Congo. Almost all involve heavy use of the likembe, a thumb piano. In addition to the amplification/electronification of the likembe, some pretty interesting cross-pollenation takes place, since Kinshasa is the capital city, attracting people from all over the enormous country that is Congo. This occurs both between multiple Congolese musical traditions and between Congolese music and "western" guitar music. My favorite tracks are from Kasai Allstars and Sobanza Mimanisa. The latter are the only to use guitar, playing power chords of all things, with their likembe and odd percussion (bottles, empty cans). I understand if you are wary about "world music" and worse, "world music afficianados," but seriously this fucking rules. Intensely repetitive, with extremely complex percussion patterns and rhythms, best played LOUD.
2. Gang of Four - Entertainment! - I assume many of you know this band and this album well. It took me a while to get around to listening to them seriously, but I'm glad I did. Sometimes music has to hit you at the right time, you know? I'm sure I've heard Gang of Four plenty over the years, but they never did much for me. Last weekend I bought this album on a whim (it's a re-release on CD, with 8 bonus tracks from live recordings and b-sides), and I'm glad I gave it another shot. Brilliant.
3. The Roots - Game Theory - I just got this today, so I can't talk at length, but this band is back, heading in some good challenging directions. My initial reaction is that they gave up on the spurious project of trying to appeal to the mainstream. Black Thought is still vicious and proud. The instrumentation is densely layered, with all kinds of surprising sounds and samples (cello, viola, violin, flute, various wind instruments, vocal choruses). And they picked a couple of fantastic singers to "feature" on a few tracks, including most impressively Maimouna Youssef on the track Don't Feel Right, which ought to be a radio hit. If there were any justice or integrity in the entertainment industry. Which there isn't.
4. Oh, and this is not music per se, but if you haven't seen Dave Chapelle's Block Party, get to it. It's fantastic. Great concert footage, funny jokes/scenes, and overall a good "documentary" approach rather than a traditional concert movie. But most of all, the film is really uplifting. That sounds corny and unlikely, I know. But really it is.
What have you been listening to lately that you'd recommend? Comment, please.
Oh, and botattack, I know I owe you some CDs from a long time back. I'm a lazy sod, but it's not that I don't care. Or that I forgot. It gnaws at my conscience, honest. One day, though. One day.