Author Archives: admin

The dirtier the sound the best I breathe

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The Manchester Orchestra has friends. Good God do they have friends. I’ve never felt that I could come anywhere near writing a decent blog post about this amazing band from Georgia, but the premier release from their upcoming Mean Everything to Nothing album moved me like no other recorded track of theirs ever has.

[The Manchester Orchestra- I’ve Got Friends]

Mookie and I discovered them together when we were researching the bands that were sharing the bill on Brand New’s tour back in early 07. When I found their website, my exact words were, “this is the most independent indie band” or something to that effect. We’ve been able to experience them live several times in a handful of cities since then and each performance has been an event we’ll never forget.

In the last few years, members of The Manchester Orchestra have managed to start their own label (speaking of having friends, they sign and work with only bands who are friends – TALENTED friends), tour with incredible bands, perform at prestigious music festivals, inspire new artists, oh… and arrive at legal age.

Regarding this period of time since the band formed, they say it’s been “an absolute whirlwind of experience and life lessons most people wouldn’t learn until they are 30.”

A few of us here have experienced more pain and loss, but also more joy and miracles, than anyone should by the time they are 30. And we still manage to be turned inside out by the music and lyrics of The Manchester Orchestra.

Look, I don’t know what the fuck this particular song is about, but it gets me. It just kills me. They know how to perform the slow, smoldering build. All elements of the sound deliver to you the heart, soul, blood, and sweat of all its contributors.

Andy Hull has used lyrics inspired by odd dreams, by confusion or confirmation of a relationship with God, and everything in between. For me personally, it gives a voice to everything that has run through my head recently and lays out a mise en place for all of the people we have in our lives and the purpose they serve, whether altruistic or selfish. And it helps me distill all of the bullshit down to the most important and compelling reasons to go forward, to breathe, to strengthen your dedication to your priorities.

If that didn’t make any sense then tough for you. It makes just as much sense as the lyrics of the song.

To lighten the mood let me confess that the first time I ever sat behind the drum kit for Guitar Hero World Tour, I channeled Manchester’s Jeremiah Edmond, of all the great drummers there ever were. It’s true.

The Manchester Orchestra is hands down one of the greatest things to happen to music. That’s all there is to say. No other witty uberblogger music expert bullshit.
The new album hits April 21. I will remind you.

Bringin’ about some classic house….again.

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Yeah, I know. It’s more “techno”, as some people like to call it. Well, there actually is a difference between “techno” and “house”. House music is much more sample heavy, and is usually at a much slower pace than what’s traditionally called “techno”. Not to mention, it’s many times – and I don’t mean this as a slight towards techno – much more uplifting and soulful. That’s just the long and short of it. Well, I yanked out a few more of my old house records and have recorded them as mp3s on my hard drive, and am now sharing them with you.

As you’ll see, a lot of these are based heavily around old samples. The first one takes a few riffs from an old disco cut. Which one? Well, Patrice Rushen‘s “Haven’t You Heard” is the cut. Rushen is best known for being ripped off for that garbage Will Smith track that was the theme for Men In Black. Seriously. That song was awful. The original was just that – original. Will Smith is now a scientologist. I think there’s a connection.

[Download Daddy’s Favourite – I Feel Good Things For You]

The next track is also sample heavy, and pretty blatantly so. However, it can be done tastefully, and I think this is one example of it being done so. It received a lot of play from the DJ crews that ran shit back 10-12 years ago, and it was featured on practically every dance compilation you could think of. The sample in Sex-O-Sonique’s “I Thought It Was You” is pretty straight-forward. It was Herbie Hancock‘s tune of the same name. It took me forever to find this, by the way. My records are an absolute mess! This particular version is the Salt City Orchestra remix, and it’s a killer. Enjoy it! A video featuring the original is right after it.

[Download Sex-O-Sonique – I Thought It Was You (SCO remix)]

Here’s another old dancefloor killer that was released on Azuli back in 1999. It’s a stomper of a cut by a group that used some oftentimes obscure disco samples for their cuts, and this one was no different. They used a sample from the track “Le Spank” by Le Pamplemousse for their track “I Like The Sounds”, and used if quite effectively. The Studio 45 track is below, and I’ve given you all a video with the sample there, to boot.

[Download Studio 45 – I Like The Sounds]

Last for this week is an old Deep Dish remix. This track was released way back in 1996. Yes, for some readers, that seems like a long time ago. Or it just says the guy writing this is nearing his mid-30’s and reminiscing like a foolish old man. When I was your age….well, I was your age. Most likely could drink a fair number of you under the table back then, also. Just ask George, here. He’s seen me at my “finest” on a few occasions.

Well, I had problems finding this track in particular. It’s Gusto’s “Disco’s Revenge”, and this remix in particular is, in essence, an extended version of the remix featured on the original release by Manifesto back in ’96. A full four and a half minutes longer, to be precise. Well, this also has a pretty loopy sample, and it’s of Harvey Mason’s “Groovin’ You”. Yeah, bet you didn’t think you’d learn shit today when you read my inane post, eh? Well, you did. So you’re that much smarter for it. And knowing is half the battle. Or some stupid G.I. Joe-like slogan. I hated G.I. Joe. You’d see millions of shots and lasers get fired off, yet no one got hit. Seriously? That was lame. Even when I was ten, I wanted to see blood and guts. Sorry, I got sidetracked. Anyhow, here’s Deep Dish’s remix of Gusto’s “Disco’s Revenge”.

[Download Gusto – Disco’s Revenge (Deep Dish remix)]

At this point, my hands are cramped, and considering it’s a whopping TEN degrees outside as I type this out, I’m somehow pretty damn cold, too. Even still, I have the energy to tell you all to go out and buy some of this stuff. I worked hard to get this all up for you! So go get it and help these folks out!

Animals Collecting Album totals…..

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So Animal Collective recently released a new album! Yes, these weird folksy guys are releasing some more strange tunes. I have yet to take a good, long listen to their new album Merriweather Post Pavillion, but I am sure it will be sort of an extension of their last album, Strawberry Jam. I say that meaning there should be an obvious directional difference with some of the tracks, and from the little I’ve heard, it’s adding more of the spacey kitsch that made Panda Bear‘s Person Pitch such a fantastic album. And yes, the album cover is very trippy.

Well, this post is a departure from the recent long-winded stuff I’ve written lately. I’m simply giving you the first single – “My Girls” – off of the album, but also a nicely done remix that Dave Wrangler submitted my way (as well as practically every blog out there!). If I had a gig now? I’d have no qualms droppin’ this track in a house set, and have every reason to believe practically any sort of crowd would like it. This is a super DJ-friendly remix that sounds very clean and crisp. It’s one I highly suggest you guys grab from here.

The original is very spacey, and brings thoughts of the Beach Boys, circa Pet Sounds, when Brian Wilson was trying practically any drug shoved in front of him. The only complaint I have with this song is that it builds to a point, and just sort of hangs there before ending rather abruptly. Otherwise, this is a great tune. So enjoy, boys and girls!

[Download Animal Collective – My Girls]

[Download Animal Collective – My Girls (Dave Wrangler remix)]

And yes, I expect you to buy the album! With groups like this that are lesser known, it’s that much more important to help them out with a purchase. If not through us, then buy something while at their shows! That’s even more kickass. I’d probably even give you a hug. A boney, pale, Irish, drunken hug. Which really just means either I’d pass out on your lawn or start a fight with a barstool. Either way, you’re entertained.

The smoke that rises separate from the fire

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Is this all you ever wanted
is this all you’ll ever need
Don’t you know I’m not a martyr
but you’re making me bleed

This song belongs on the radio. But I’m not going to start another diatribe on that. Besides, it’s only a matter of moments before the day arrives that saying something belongs on the radio is taken as an insult. Just look at what passes for popular music. I wouldn’t want my paid advertising butting up against a lame BuckCherry or Hoobastank track either. No wonder Clear Channel laid off over 1000 employees this week.

The boys at Winston Audio seem to agree with me. So I will take back what I said about getting this song on the radio. Just now, Dan D made a comment to me about how he’d rather have people hear about music from somewhere other than a “homogenous radio station that overplays everything.” I didn’t even expect to get a quote like that in my blog post today. What a roll I’ve been on lately with the way my posts have been fluently spilling out and fluidly syncing with life’s happenstances. (Unfortunately the painkillers that life’s happenstances have forced me to be on today may have ended my fluency streak. Sorry, lovelies.)

Not that it’s all about me; although their upcoming album, The Red Rhythm, does have a track called Hey Ann… But, I’ve spent some time wondering who could ever produce the strong sound Sparta delivered and I’ve been a little lost since their disbanding. Listening to The Red Rhythm reminds me not only of how I would feel listening to Porcelain or Threes, but it also has the strength in sound and build that Soundgarden had. I really tried hard to refrain from making the comparison that I assume-and I’m not even going to run a google search to verify-everyone else has made between Soundgarden and Winston Audio. But since I did, I will say that lead singer Dan DeWitt’s voice is just as strong if not stronger than Cornell’s. It’s a sound like this that makes me all warm inside. Take a listen to “Martyr.”

[Winston Audio – Martyr]

Despite Dan’s claim that he reserves his rage for the road, there is definitely a strong emotional charge coming through in these tracks. Track three, Keeping it Down, has a sound that reminds me of Eddie Vedder’s passion. Vedder, by the way, is one of the artists the band says they’d love to collaborate with. Good choice my friends. Speaking of collaboration, Favorite Gentlemen label head Andy Hull lends his voice to the track. Check out a live video of the song:

So what’s with the name? You’re going to love this: think of the way that smoke curls from the end of a cigarette (such as a Winston.) Just as the smoke constantly changes, twisting, turning, and then becoming part of the air… Winston Audio sees music in the same way. The music on this upcoming release, which is the band’s first LP, gets progressively stronger as each track plays. This is a fabulous album to set the tone for 2009. It’s so real, and soulful, and it flows well.

Winston Audio The Red Rhythm comes out February 10. This is one worth a visit to the record store, so mark it on your calendar. In the meantime, watch the label’s site for tour dates and more info on the band.

Martin Luther King, Jr., remembered through music!

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A quick tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr., today. In 2002, Trax Records released a 12″ that featured a remix of the Mr. Fingers classic “Can You Feel It?” that has much of MLK’s “I Have A Dream Speech” overlaying this mellow, yet uplifting classic. So for today, just enjoy the track. I have also posted a video someone made using the song.

Remember what King stood for, today! Do a good deed in unsolicited fashion. Volunteer! Give to a charity you feel close to. If you give of yourself, you’d be quite surprised how good you feel afterwards. And work to help bring the ideas of equality to our country. As long as anyone suffers, we can always improve to give everyone the same rights and chances of everyone else.

[Download Mr. Fingers – Can You Feel It? (MLK mix)]

And for this one, please do buy the music! No funny messages or anything. I think buying this song sends a very real message about the passion you share with us about what this great man stood for.

Even if death were good

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If you have all of the information..
And you can’t make a decision in 60 seconds….
Then perhaps you do not deserve to reap the benefits that such a decision might bring.

Call it self-help gobbledygook, or more Robbins-style success training… But this advice has been around for almost a century. Andrew Carnegie once said “those who are slow to make up their minds are also slow in carrying out their decisions.”

Well if you can’t decide
Your move you either weep or moan
You waste a year to mull this through

[Ra Ra Riot – Ghost Under Rocks]

Meet Ra Ra Riot. Did you hear the cello? The violin? How is it that I can be a sucker for both the double bass pedal and the stringed instruments? I’m a sucker for ska, too, so what does that tell you. (Absolutely nothing.) As I mentioned in my last post, I am reading Chuck Klosterman’s Killing Yourself To Live in which the author visits the places and ponders the legacy of the deaths of well-known, and some not-so-well-known rock artists. So I found it odd to discover that in the short couple of years that the sextet Ra Ra Riot has been together, they’ve already lost their original drummer to an accidental drowning after playing a show and then attending a house party in Providence, RI last summer. Prior to that show, they wrapped up a 6-week tour with inALLcaps faves The Little Ones. And in December of 2008, they toured the east coast with So Many Dynamos. That would have been a nice show to see.

Listening to Ra Ra Riot is really soothing to me. It sometimes takes me back to The Smiths, and by the end of the album The Rhumb Line I could swear they are as upbeat as Motion City Soundtrack. Like Morrissey they do often mumble their lyrics, so nailing down what it is they’re saying is tough – and as more and more 12-year-olds access the internet, the lyrics websites are plummeting in credibility by the hour. Unlike Morrissey, these guys are American as Apple Pie and don’t sound like they hail from Syracuse, New York. But what they’ve got going on ranges from deep to flighty and it makes me very happy. Soothed. I love it. Try another sample.

[Ra Ra Riot – Dying Is Fine]

In stark contrast to The All American Rejects, I am glad the youth of today has a band like Ra Ra Riot. You have to get this album.

I get nervous every time you speak.

Armand Van Helden-mania! – Part 2

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So last week, I started you all off with a few old school Armand Van Helden tracks and remixes. It got a pretty good response, actually. Well, except from the Strictly Rhythm folks, and we can understand why, so we took down the mp3 of “Break Night”. Hopefully if you guys trust my opinion, you’ll buy the track, anyhow!

So this week, we’re bouncing ahead a little further. After his seminal album 2 Future 4 U, he has just sort of gone downhill, unfortunately. The edge isn’t there, any more. That’s a real shame, because for a good half-dozen years, this guy made nothing but quality. Here I’m sharing a few more of his tracks.

To start off with, we’re going to bring up Daft Punk yet again. Daft Punk was part of a crew that called themselves “Da Mongoloids”. Well, according to discogs, it was just Bangalter of Daft Punk that took part in the crew. The crew would extend out to guys like Junior Sanchez, Basement Jaxx, and DJ Sneak, amongst others. Well, Armand made a remix of “Da Funk” that really is just a nutso take on the original, and here it is.

[Download Daft Punk – Da Funk (AVH mix)]

Next up is possibly his best known remix, and the one that got him the assloads of work he got after this one. He remixed Tori Amos’ “Professional Widow” and then, just about every DJ worldwide seemed to be playing it. It was one of the anthems in dance music in 1996, and for good reason.

[Download Tori Amos – Professional Widow (AVH mix)]

The next three I have listed here are much lesser known remixes by Van Helden. He went on a remix tear for a few years, and was remixing just about anything thrown his way. Hell, I even found a copy of the 12″ for Rednex “Cotton Eye Joe” with three remixes he did. And yes, it’s godawful. I won’t even force you all to listen to that one. Well, here I have listed his remixes of Apollo Four Forty’s “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Dub”, Skunk Anansie’s “Secretly”, and The Trancesetters’ “The Search”. The last one, I’ve seen iTunes list an Armand remix that, unless he made a 2nd version? That isn’t it. So don’t waste the time on it.

[Download Apollo Four Forty – Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Dub (AVH mix)]

Skunk Anansie – Secretly (AVH mix)

Trancesetters – The Search (AVH mix)

Now, I have plenty more Armand cuts, and for now, I am going to leave those on the backburner. I think I’ll revisit this topic again in the next month or two, because I have a lot of good stuff to share that wasn’t made by Armand. Stay tuned if you’re a househead, because I have a few more gems to share with you all!

Now, go buy some of this! We do, and so should you!

I still dream of runnin’ careless through the snow

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The band is Blitzen Trapper. They’ve been around for awhile, so it’s alright with me if you pretend you’ve known of them all along. Their fourth album is called Furr, and it was released this past September. Rolling Stone said it was one of the best albums of 2008.

SPIN described the band’s music as suitable for “cubicle-penned office drones in desperate need of a vacation.” I may not be cubicle-penned, but desperate doesn’t even begin to describe my need for a vacation. I digress. Speaking of SPIN, I’ve been reading Chuck Klosterman’s Killing Yourself To Live and as I finished chapter 6, something he said about the Allman Brothers gave me the resolution to write this blog. He’d been bashing them on nearly every page thus far, but he made the point that it’s difficult to carry on a conversation during “Ramblin’ Man.”
This is true, isn’t it! And what does that say about a piece of music? Perhaps it’s not a testimony to a work of genius, but if you’re forced to stop and sing along… Wait, what does that mean about the Britney Spears music that I hear at the mall? Do I have to digress again?I bet my boyfriend wishes I was unable to carry on a conversation during any song… I have been known to talk a lot.

I am not the only one making an Allman Brothers connection. Check out what their hometown paper, The Oregonian, had to say about the music:

…showcases an impressive array of alt-country and psych-rock songs that sound a little as though Wilco ate the mushrooms growing in the Allman Brothers cow pasture.

Look, it’s good stuff. It makes me feel like I’m finally old enough to really appreciate Bob Dylan or Tom Petty. In the form of Blitzen Trapper. And that’s cool with me. Check out the title track, Furr.

[Blitzen Trapper – Furr]

I’m shaky at the knees. Would you take me by the arm and settle down upon a farm?

Armand Van Helden-mania! – Part 1

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So this week, I’m going to give you guys mostly a bunch of old Armand Van Helden tunes. I shit you not, if it’s from the years 1994 to 1998? I most likely have it on wax. He used to reside here in Boston, and played at the locally legendary Loft. I missed out on the Loft back in ’96 by maybe a few months, and man, I am still upset I never got to experience it. Those were my formative days with house music, and I am sure that would’ve just sped up the process!

Since I’ve found so many tunes that Armand’s done that I want to share, I will keep this in two parts. A couple of local Boston guys have done the Armand theme in the past, and it’s really not easy picking what tunes to represent what Armand did! The Soul Clap guys have been in Boston for a long ass time, also, and know their shit. Here’s a link to their blog postings on Armand.

So let’s get this shit started! If I find the response to these little retrospectives to be very positive – meaning you should leave comments or e-mail me at waltzink@gmail.com – then I may do a second batch of his old school shizzy!

First off, I remember talking to a guy about five years ago that knew Armand back in the Loft days, and he actually told me I reminded him of Armand from the attitude standpoint. Basically, fuck trends….fuck “top ten” lists….do what you like and take some chances. It was probably the most humbling thing I’d heard in…well…ever. He told me that when Armand first moved down to NYC, he was actually essentially homeless for the first three weeks there! A lot can change in just two or three years, huh? Whether or not that’s true is up for debate, and Armand, I hear, hates interviews. And I know some kids who hang with him and they’ve said even with their help, it wouldn’t be likely.

Armand’s early stuff actually bounces around a lot. Here, you’ll see what I mean. I have given you guys what is probably my favorite Armand cut – The Mole People’s “Break Night”. It’s a 13 minute long track! It’s deep, tribal, and hypnotizing. Released on Strictly Rhythm back in 1995, it was just one of many Armand tunes that would help establish him as a future force in dance music. Of course, I could’ve just given you all Armand’s “Witch Doktor” as the tune that embodies his old stuff, but everyone does that.

Editors Note: Strictly Rhythm has asked us to no longer offer the track from Mole People from our site.  Like a responsible music blog, we complied.

So the next two are from the same album. He was also on another classic label – Henry Street. These two are lesser known tracks from his Old School Junkies persona. “Brooklyn Beats” has a sort of twisted story, however. It’s on Armand’s Old School Junkies – The Album (parts 1 and 2) but when I first heard this? I was under the impression it was another artist by the name of Scotti Deep. Well, I can’t see anywhere where the track actually was produced by Armand. In fact, this particular mix was done by Pulse 2 Rhythm. So who knows who actually gets credit for this one. For now? I will put it here as Armand’s “version” I guess. If anyone can clear this up, feel free!

[Download Old School Junkies – Brooklyn Beats]

The next is is a very underrated track of his. “Play The World” is very deep and funky. It’s actually a few years ahead of its time, in my opinion. While some artists may have done deep tracks like this, none were getting released in such a manner that reached a pretty large – for electronic music – audience.

[Download Old School Junkies – Play The World]

The last one is a remix Armand did about the same time he produced all of the above tracks. Sagat is known for one track. The song “Fuk Dat” got wide play, and was remixed by the likes of Josh Wink and Armand. Here, Armand has it in a very stripped down format, and has a killer acid loop (albeit not in the classic Chicago acid house sense) backing it. There’s another mix he did with the full vocals, but this one takes the cake.

[Download Sagat – Fuk Dat (Armand mix)]

In fact, he even made a video for this cut! Of course, he had to tone it down a bit, and it was re-titled “Funk Dat”, but you get the point!

Oh yeah! Go buy this stuff! Or else someone named Vinny is coming to your house. My guess is it won’t be for dinner, either.

Submissions Part 2

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Yes, I get the weird duty of doing the posts on both X-mas eve and New Year’s Eve. Right now it’s fucking snowing up here in Boston. We had two storms a couple weeks back that dumped 20 inches on us. Then it melted. I was like, “Yay! I can park my car without having to destroy my back by shoveling now!” And now more snow. Some New Year, eh?

Anyways, I have to say I hope yours is good. And to bring in the New Year? Here are some more submissions I have gotten over the last few months. A sort of “Look Out For These Guys in ’09” sort of post.

First up is a dude by the name of Dave Wrangler. Here’s his MySpace page. He’s from Houston, and the South does do things dirty! He’s sent me a couple of tracks, and I wanted to share these with you guys, also. He does remixes of hip-hop cuts as well as mash-ups. They’re pretty straight-forward club cuts, and if you’re into dudes like Jokers Of The Scene, you’ll dig this guy’s stuff.

Download Ol’ Dirty Bastard – Baby I Got Your Money (Dave Wrangler remix)

[Download Detroit Grand Pubahs – Sandwiches (Dave Wrangler remix)]

[Download Dave Wrangler – Stay Fly VS. Womanizer (Three 6 Mafia VS Britney Spears)]

Next up is the post-punk group the Homosexuals. Myspace page is here. Now, I got this e-mail December 5th, touting their first US tour ever. Only problem? All the shows had already passed! And one was near Boston! Fuckin’ hell. I would’ve gone to see these guys, too. They’re definitely known to folks who dig the old school punk. And they released their first music in about 25 years. Here’s one of their new cuts, “Slow Guns”. Good shit!

The Homosexuals – Slow Guns

And lastly is a band that you guys probably know already. Devotchka. Myspace page is here. Well, for the XBox 360 game Gears of War 2, the fun folks at Microsoft chose to use a song of theirs that many people reading this already probably know – “How It Ends”. If you don’t recognize it by name? It was used in Little Miss Sunshine, and brilliantly, at that. So below, I give you their hit “How It Ends”, and have posted the commercial used to promote Gears of War 2.

[Download Devotchka – How It Ends]

And now? My “This shit has been on my iPod all goddamned year!” list. Yes. I swear. a lot. It’s beautiful. So here’s my list. You’ll notice I left off MGMT, as well as a few other indie-hipster-bandwagon groups. Well, it’s not bad stuff. It’s just that I got sick of them after about three weeks. These guys? I obviously didn’t get sick of! So here you go!

1 – Mogwai – The Sun Smells Too Loud
2 – The Dirtbombs – La Fin Du Monde
3 – Radiohead – House of Cards
4 – Fuck Buttons – Sweet Love For Planet Earth
5 – Hercules and Love Affair – Blind
6 – Bon Iver – Skinny Love
7 – Hot Chip – Ready For The Floor
8 – Thieves Like Us – Drugs In My Body
9 – The Verbs – I’m Your Chocolate
10 – The Ting Tings – Great DJ

As usual, buy this shit! Do it! For the children! Or just imagine children are somehow involved.