Monthly Archives: December 2010

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like…

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I am pretty sure there exists somewhere a print version containing proof that I have shat upon the Music Genome Project. It angered me. How dare you set out to “capture the unique and magical musical identity of a song”? That phrase in itself should be a dichotomy – “capture” something that is “unique and magical”? Wah! Meh! Other various grumbling sounds!

I just have a tendency to fight something that I see as forced. To fight anything that doesn’t organically evolve. I’m not saying I’m right. I have my quirks.

This is my Sexy Little Netbook.

And since I never found time to fully upload any real semblance of an iTunes library on my Sexy Little Netbook, I find myself needing to obtain music from sources Other Than My Own while at work.

So I caved, and I created myself a Pandora profile.

In June I created a Wallflowers station. I liked it. It was good. In July I created a Jack’s Mannequin station. It was great. On August 30 I created a Santana station. What amazing guitar artistry was displayed on this station! That was a good day at work.

That was when I was thankful for Pandora. You know why? By September 5 I was the new owner of the album 11:11 by Rodrigo y Gabriela.

So I have to say thank you to Pandora and music genomes. Listening to Santana allowed for an electronically-induced organic discovery of this Mexican musical duo and the amazing things that can be done with a guitar.

No. There is no drummer. That is Gabriela’s percussive style of playing. In fact, it is so heavily percussive that it led to a temporary hiatus in touring recently due to a stress injury! Fortunately for their most loyal fans, the duo performed live at a pub in Dublin on 11/11 to celebrate the album on which they play tribute to 11 artists who inspired them. NPR streamed the live performance and you bet I tuned in… It was amazing. Since then, I have been playing it to lift my spirits around the house and out and about while the weather turns cold and holiday planning comes into full effect.

Track One on the album, released in September 2009, is dedicated to Carlos Santana. Click play and listen to “Hanuman”.

Click to Play Rodrigo y Gabriela – Hanuman

Other tracks on the album are dedicated to musicians from all over the world: Pakistan, Spain, India, Argentina, plus Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, and even Dimebag Darrell from Pantera! Tell me you can see yourself putting that on the ‘pod, or on your home stereo, or in your car… Move about the house readying it for company, pull out your long johns, fight mall traffic, bake holiday goodies, come on. It’s perfect mood music to substitute for all the Christmas music you’ll be hearing everywhere.

This is an amazing album. Buy it now. Take it with you. Now you’re warm.

All We Are Saying…

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So I’m a big John Lennon fan. Not so much for his music as I am of the ideas that he sometimes presented through his music. He wasn’t a perfect man. He definitely enjoyed his drug use, for example. He also possessed a hot temper, and had some dealings with women I look down on. However, I feel as though his impact on the world is still felt today. Thirty years ago today, his life was senselessly taken by fanatic Mark David Chapman. Even ESPN’s Outside the Lines did a piece on Lennon’s killing.

As I said, his music isn’t really what I am a fan of. In fact, much of his solo work is very sub-par. On occasion, though, the brilliance would come out and produce musical wonders. Three of them are here today. I think we all know two of the three. The first was an anthem against the Vietnam War and helped solidify Lennon’s being booted from the States by Richard Nixon. The song “Give Peace a Chance” became the anti-war song amongst anti-war songs. The second one is also anti-war but in a bit more subtle sense. Every holiday season, we hear “Happy Christmas (War Is Over)”, and wonder where it came from, but it somehow seems to fit.

Click to Play John Lennon – Give Peace A Chance

Click to Play John Lennon – Happy Christmas (War Is Over)

The last is one that pushes more his ideas as an atheist, which continually becomes more stigmatized in this country by the day. No real help from the likes of Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens with their tactless and arrogant delivery, however. The song “God” proclaims his disbelief in the fantastical, which smacks of a bit strange, considering his past history of drug use.

Click to Play John Lennon – God

People may be wondering why I didn’t post “Imagine”. Well, if you dig back a few months on the blog, I actually did a post on the song, and the covers of it I found to be some semblance of good. Now go buy some of the man’s music!

New Winter DJ Set

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A little holiday gift for you! I hope you enjoy. I still love putting these mixes together.


This is my first mix in a long while. My turntables were in storage for a year. Then after I set them back up, I had to work the rust off. I’m already excited to work on another one…so you might get a part 2 soon! Im here to please…so let me know in the comments if you want another one sooner than later.


Although this is a winter mix, it probably has nothing to do with winter except that one of the artists I include has the last name of Snow. The fact we were in the middle of a cold snap here in Las Vegas, with temperatures below freezing, might have kept me inside long enough to get it done! 


/shrug

  inALLcaps.com Winter Mix by inallcaps

Track list:

Depeche Mode VS The Crystal Method – Busy World In My Childs Eyes
Crystal Method are from Las Vegas. The Depeche Mode reminds me about this asshole who owes me 10 grand. I hope he chokes on his Egg Nog this year.
Candid – Empire State Of Mind (Drunk & Brilliant Mix)
This track is built around some “raverish” synth stabs and a pitched up sample of Alicia Keys from the Jay-Z hit off the Blueprint 3 album.
Benjamin Diamond

Benjamin Diamond – Little Scare (change your life mix)
This is one of my favorite house tracks. Benjamin Diamond was also the vocalist in the Stardust track “Music Sounds Better With You” if you are wondering why his voice sounds so familiar.

Phoenix – Long Distance Call (Moonchild’s ’25 Hours a Day’ Edit)
This is a great dubby disco house remix. This dude Moonchild is really dope actually. He’s from Australia and has some fantastic remixes and original work on his soundcloud. Make sure you check it out.
Miike Snow – Black and Blue (Savage Skulls Remix)
I remember saying to myself… “Damn…I am so clever for putting Miike Snow after Phoenix!” I wish I remembered why I thought that. These two tracks do sound great together…it just seemed like I had some “meaning” for it. I might over-think this stuff…
David Guetta – Memories (Armand Van Helden vocal remix)
I like to squeeze something AVH related into my mixes. I am a big fan of his work. Walt Zink, one of our contributors on this blog, used to be a huge fan of his back in the day. He’s NOT a fan of the direction Van Helden has gone with his work in recent years…but I’m still on board! I love it!
Wolfmother- New Moon Rising (Riton Club Rub)
I think Walt Zink also like Wolfmother. Not that i was over-thinking THAT much!


NastyFunker – Blood on the Dancefloor ( Nastys chunk-a-Funk Mix )
I am not sure about where I got this track. Or who this is exactly. I think I found a few profiles, but can’t confirm it’s the same remixer. I think this is the artists soundcloud. I just can’t be 100% sure. I might need your help on this guys!
Daft Punk

Daft Punk – Television Rules The Nation (Dirty Disco Youth Remix)
I love Daft Punk. It’s another artist I like to squeeze in to a mix. Everyone loves Daft Punk. The Dirty Disco Youth are doing a lot of hot stuff, and you should check them out.

Snoop Dog – Thought I Was A DJ (Wonky Ninja Remix)
I usually have a pretty good idea what I want to play when I record a mix… until about the 50 minute mark. This is where a good mix can go bad for me as I struggle to find a few more tracks to drop. Luckily this one fit the vibe nicely!

Maxwell – Bad Habits (Harlan Pepper & AG III Dub Remix)
Love this remix, but the original is great as well. Maxwell is the perfect soundtrack to get busy to, if you know what I mean!


That’s it! Hope you enjoyed the mix and the DVD style commentary! Stay warm peeps!


    





OH SO GUILTY: The music gives us a chance

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I hate radio.

I love radio.

I just need to sing in the car. I just need that. I just need to belt out any random song recorded between 1962 and today. Randomly. I don’t want to program it into a playlist, a CD, an mp3 to install, or an iPod to plug in while I drive.

When I find a good one, I think “THIS is what I am going to sing at karaoke.” Then I text Vanessa and ask when we’re going downtown next. But I never share my secret song. Then when I am a couple sheets to the wind and AT the juke joint, I have no idea what I want to sing.

Today while driving, I heard “Build Me Up Buttercup.” Oh, what a song. THAT is the song I MUST sing with gusto on the stage. I wish I could be in every possible machination of that song in every scene from “There’s Something About Mary” that the actors filmed. I love this video.


There’s Something About Mary from nitz on Vimeo.

Did you know that Mookie wants to start playing the Ukulele? He could play backup while I belt my heart out at one of my guilty pleasure songs. You know, now that I think about it, I wish I could have been at that table to participate in “Say A Little Prayer” from “My Best Friend’s Wedding”, too.


My Best Friend’s Wedding – I Say a Little Prayer For You from Carlos Giroto on Vimeo.

Forever, and ever, you’ll stay in my heart
and I will love you
Forever, and ever we never will part
Oh, how I’ll love you
Together, forever, that’s how it must be
To live without you
Would only mean heartbreak for me.

I am starting to understand what is going on here. I have a thing for Cameron Diaz movies where the characters burst out into song. Dressing Room Movie Montage from The Sweetest Thing. You know the song, I don’t have to share the video.

Click to Play Peaches and Herb – Shake Your Groove Thing  

Ah.
These songs make me happy.
I wish there was a radio station that played all my favorite singalong songs on a continuous loop. And if I lived in a town where gridlock was an issue, we could all get out of our cars and do a song and dance routine to them.

Guilty. So guilty.

Click to Play The Foundations – Build Me Up Buttercup

Guilty? I think not!

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So this week is all about the supposed “guilty pleasures” for us here at the blog. I have to say that I instead take pride in my choices. Now, I had planned on another track for this week, so as a good gesture, I will also be posting that other track, also. So hey, you guys should keep reading.

First off for the guilty pleasures is a name that’s become somewhat synonymous with the Vegas culture. At least in my years there, he was. This singer originally couldn’t get signed because he “sounded too black.” I wish I was kidding about that part. And to add to the weirdness? It’s the song that Carlton Banks would dance to on the ’90’s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. After writing that last sentence, I am starting to re-think whether or not I should feel guilty about this one. Just watch the video to understand.

So yeah. Tom Jones. I am not into everything he releases. This tune is hard not to like, though. So the track “It’s Not Unusual” was also Jones’ first hit here in the states. And launched millions of panties being thrown on stage to him. Even now. Lucky bastard.

Click to Play Tom Jones – It’s Not Unusual

Next one is one I again just can’t be ashamed of. Hell, the Stanton Warriors did a remix of this that I posted a while back. Their remix of “Good Vibrations” is just ridiculous. The original, however, is where it’s at. Using the theramin on this cut was an advance in electronic music that many don’t really realize. It was the first track to hit the charts that used an electronic instrument (not an electric guitar, mind you) as a featured part of the song. It’s still a great track.

Click to Play The Beach Boys – Good Vibrations

This last track is one I wanted to post,and still will. It’s a really cool re-rub of Bon Iver’s “Skinny Love” that I am all over. The first post I wrote for this blog actually feautured the original of this one, so it’s been a favorite for a while of mine. A kid from South Africa that goes by the name Das Kapital is responsible for this one, so props are due!

Click to Play Bon Iver – Skinny Love (Das Kapital re-rub)