Another great find of 2008: Vivian Girls

Don Cavalli had a good run for a couple of weeks, but recently I've been unable to stop listening to this song, "Tell the World" by Vivan Girls. It comes courtesy first of philmeanslove.muxtape.com and then this (ahem) highly useful greasemonkey extension. Maybe should have given a "nerd alert" there.

Vivian Girls are playing a show next Monday, Memorial Day in San Francisco, with the legendary T.I.T.S., at the Knockout. I'll definitely be there representing for Hey! Student.

Vivian Girls - Tell the World [probably from a forthcoming album on Mauled by Tigers]

The Steve Reich Influence

Steve Reich, more than any other minimalist composer of the 20th century, had a profound impact on popular music. In particular, several prominent electronic music and rock music acts, such as the Orb, DJ Spooky, Tortoise, Spirtualized and Oval, cite Reich as a major influence. It's no secret why: minimalist music, much like the works of dance music, post-rock and, to a lesser extent, space rock, are wrapped in repetition, progressing via minimal change, requiring the listener to pay closer attention to the music at hand.

Though many of Reich's work are seminal, particularly 1976's ethereal Music for 18 Musicians, Electric Counterpoint (1987) is Reich's most sampled work in popular music. Broken down into three movements, "Fast," "Slow" and "Fast," the piece is a blend of Reich's early tape recording works and melodic beauty of works like Music for 18 Musicians. The technique of the piece is simple: a soloist records an electric guitar riff, loops it, and repeats the process. Ultimately, the piece has up to 10 guitar loops playing against the one live guitarist.

From personal listening experience, I know that the work has been sampled by three popular music artists: the Orb ("Little Fluffy Clouds"), RJD2 ("the Proxy") and Bullinuts ("Pizzle Road Rhapsody"). Here's the first movement of Electric Counterpoint, "Fast," followed by "Little Fluffy Clouds" and "the Proxy." Enjoy.

Steve Reich - Electric Counterpoint (Fast) [Different Trains/Electric Counterpoint LP, 1988]

The Orb - Little Fluffy Clouds [Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld LP, 1991]

RJD2 - The Proxy [Dead Ringer LP, 2002]

Massive Attack: A Retrospective

"I was lookin' back to see if you were lookin' back at me to see me lookin' back at you"

When Portishead recently released their first album in over ten years, Third, I began digging back into my catalog of what the music elite have conveniently dubbed “trip-hop.” Hatching from Bristol, England, in the beginning of the 1990s, the trip-hop movement was a revolutionizing fusion of two prevalent musical movements of the 1980s: hip-hop and British dance culture. While trip-hop eventually gave birth to sleepy, coffee-shop acts such as Thievery Corporation and banal DJ mixes from Costes, it also created inarguably some of the most interesting works of modern music. Though many cite Portishead as the landmark group of trip-hop, I always had a stronger appreciation and respect for the founders of the movement, Massive Attack. Their first and third albums, Blue Lines and Mezzanine, respectively, are easily two of the greatest musical works of the 1990s.

Blue Lines (1991)

A striking amalgam of hip-hop, dub, soul, house and jazz, Blue Lines is a startling work. The speak-song of Robert Del Naja (aka “3d”) and the tongue-twisting raps of Tricky strike a delicate balance with the more prevalent voicework of songstress Shara Nelson and reggae artist Horace Andy, creating a sublime work of contrast. As with all subsequent Massive Attack albums, the production is top-notch, sounding modern and timeless nearly two decades after its release. Standout tracks include the powerful opener “Safe from Harm,” percussive hip-hopper “Daydreaming,” and, of course, “Unfinished Sympathy,” one of the greatest singles from the 90s.

Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy [Blue Lines LP, 1991]

Mezzanine (1998)

With the lukewarm reception of their second album, Protection, Massive Attack set out to break the trip-hop mold with Mezzanine, a work strikingly darker in tone then their previous works. Recruiting Cocteau Twins singer Elizabeth Fraser to provide her shimmering vocals, Mezzanine absolutely shines in both production and writing. “Angel” is an opener equally as impacting as Blue Lines' “Safe from Harm,” starting with crisp drum machine beat before collapsing on itself in a wave of distorted guitars. 3D’s patented sing-song is employed perfectly on “Risingson” and “Intertia Creeps”, which are clouded in an absolute feeling of paranoia. Arguably, the album’s standout track is the stunningly beautiful “Tear Drop,” with Fraser’s angelic voice wrapped around a dusty groove and achingly beautiful harpsichord arpeggio.

Massive Attack - Tear Drop [Mezzanine LP, 1998]

Don Cavalli - "New Hollywood Babylon"

This is basically the weirdest song I've heard this year. I really like it. Mexicans... Chinese!!!!!

Don Cavalli - New Hollywood Babylon [Cryland LP, 2008]

Kid Creole

New Hey! Student blogger Matt recently posted this video to his personal blog. Could he have known that this is one of my favorite songs ever? Hey Matt, when you get back from running around Europe, post some more of this goodness over here!

Also, I dunno if this is why Matt posted this video, but there's a whole compilation of Kid Creole that just came out. Amazon link here. I first heard of Kid Creole from (erstwhile?) Hey! Student blogger Justin, who passed along a compilation called Mutant Disco, which I highly recommend. It features Kid Creole, Lizzy Mercier Descloux, and lots of other zany disco folks like Cristina.

The real new M83

The title of this post is a Fall reference. So here’s a track that’s actually off of the new M83 album. It starts off with a now-trademarked cheesy voiceover, and jumps right off into a tremendous buildup of sound. The voiceover works for me in a really strange way though, it adds this sort of forced dramatism to it. I always read about how Mogwai or (especially) Explosions in The Sky were “cinematic.” M83 is just working backwards here, they're scoring their own dialogue. This music is slower than their other stuff... when the “Highway of Endless Dreams” ends after 5 minutes, it feels like it’s just gotten warmed up.

M83 - Highway of Endless Dreams [Saturdays = Youth LP, 2008]

L.S.P. + A.W.K.

Lee 'Scratch' Perry in the studio with Andrew W.K.

I don't know how fate had it that these two fellows crossed paths, but I do know we are all lucky to be able to witness it.

dip dip dip.

An earlier incarnation of this song first appeared on Diplo's album, Florida. It featured a notable verse from Jamaican rapper Vybz Cartel, which has become fixed in my brain as one of the most romantic in music history -- namely the line:

Three things in my life are certain: Death, You, And Income Tax.

I think this will be my wedding vow.

I think this is the new M83

But I don't know, really. Any ideas?

Were you aware?

Have you ever watched the Buster Poindexter video, Hot Hot Hot? I mean, really watched it? Because if you have, you may have noticed this little introduction:

Buster: Now, not all you kids may remember this. About 15 years ago, as a matter of fact, I was in a band called the New York Dolls.

Yes, you heard that right. Buster Poindexter, the tux-wearing, pelvic-thrusting mambo cheeseball, was, in reality, no more than a character played by protopunk icon David Johansen, frontman of the New York Dolls. For me, this was probably the most insane "same person!" revelation since Norman Bates turned out to be his own mother. Although the new information left me feeling obviously chagrinned on Johansen's behalf, in truth, I was also a bit doleful to learn that no real Poindexter ever existed. That such a charismatic guy never walked the earth in earnest is no doubt a loss for all of us. The fact is, the man was a catalyst for a lot of zany, fun times, and if he were still around, he would definitely be owning the Don Ho/Jimmy Buffett party circuit.

As you may know, Mr. Johansen eventually succeeded in shaking the shadow of his alter ego, and returned to his New York Dolls roots with some fanfare. He still refers to his turn as Poindexter as "the bane of [his] life," but I think he secretly knows that he wouldn't be the showman he is without that little bit of Buster in him.

In conclusion, despite some serious ups and downs, everything seems to have turned out fine for good old Davy J. I feel the lesson we can all learn from this amazing story is, "Be yourself."

Words from the Patron Saint

LONDON (AFP) - An animal protection group is investigating claims made by British band The Falls Mark E. Smith that he killed two endangered red squirrels and condones the deliberate running over of seagulls, it said Thursday.



The revered but unpredictable frontman of Manchester band The Fall said that he would not hesitate setting about a squirrel with a pair of hedge-clippers.



"Squirrels mean nothing to me. I killed a couple last weekend actually. They were eating my garden fence," Smith told Uncut magazine, although it was unclear whether he had confused the animal with their more prevalent American grey cousins.



The singer, whose group has gone through 50 different members and produced 27 albums in their career, also said he "wouldn't have a problem" with people purposefully driving over seagulls in their cars.



"The comments made by Mark E. Smith are extremely irresponsible and he has basically admitted to committing an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act by killing two red squirrels," the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) said.



"These animals are highly protected and anyone killing, harming or taking red squirrels from the wild is liable to prosecution and can face up to six months in prison and/or a fine of up to 20,000 pounds. Likewise, running over gulls is also an offence, the group said.



"To suggest in a magazine read by youngsters that it is a good idea to harm wildlife is both extremely stupid and highly irresponsible."

Thanks, Dan

Surprise: I'm really digging the new British Sea Power

I didn’t spend too much time with the new British Sea Power album at first; I listened to it once through and wasn’t really blown away. A couple of days before their March show at Bottom of the Hill, I thought to myself, “I’ll probably go to the show and end up loving the album.” That’s pretty much what happened. Much like Cornelius, British Sea Power plays straight-ahead rock. They're probably one of the few bands left in 2008 that owe anything to Echo and the Bunnymen. Nobody else is on that really epic rock tip these days, I think.

They led off their concert with “No Lucifer.” When I first heard this song I thought it was a little too blunt to be a BSP song, but I think it's just fine now. There's no question that Do You Like Rock Music? is not as challenging as The Decline of British Sea Power. I’m sure some people will roll their eyes at this album for its aspirations of rocking on a larger scale, and it's not for nothing that the name U2 has cropped up in some reviews. But actually ‘selling out’ isn't about your music. Even with more stadium-friendly production, British Sea Power aren't pandering to their audience. That’s a sign of a band that's ready for the big time.

British Sea Power - No Lucifer [Do You Like Rock Music? LP, 2008]

British Sea Power - Canvey Island [Do You Like Rock Music? LP, 2008]

British Sea Power - Open the Door [Do You Like Rock Music? LP, 2008]

Finally, finally

The Hey! Student Muxtape drops!

Concert suggestions for April

If you live in San Francisco, here are some concerts that would be worth checking out this month:

4/2 Black Keys @ Warfield

4/5 Autechre @ Mezzanine

4/5 Maurice Fulton @ Gun Club (!)

4/24 Excepter @ Hemlock Tavern (!)

4/25 Sic Alps @ Hemlock Tavern

4/25 Booka Shade @ Mezzanine

4/26 Goldfrapp @ Warfield

4/30 Akron/Family @ Rickshaw Stop (!)

4/30 The Field @ Independent

My list is biased against The Independent, because I think it sucks. There are a number of head-to-head matchups this month, but I'd side with Maurice Fulton - Booka Shade - Akron/Family if you're looking for guidance.

Sebastien Tellier, Flying Lotus, Muxtape

K so this blog is probably going to get less attention from me. I'll be putting more energy into MCV MCV, and probably posting more tunes straight to Tumblr. Here are some quick hits:

Track in my head: Sebastien Tellier - Roche which I posted to Tumblr. So smooth. So synthy. So French.

Here are some new tracks off of Flying Lotus' next album, Los Angeles.

Muxtape is a very simple site: just upload some tracks and you've got an instantly shareable mixtape. Nice UI.

A couple of new Clinic tracks

One of the better press photos ever

Did you know that Clinic recently put out another album? Did you know that it sounds like all their other albums? Does that surprise you? It shouldn’t. Clinic has been playing the same songs for 10 years now. Why they continue to exist is a little bit beyond me – yes, Internal Wrangler and Walking With Thee were great in their day, but... really? Still playing the same old punk-filtered-through freak circus punk? Maybe there are die-hard Clinic fans out there who really need more of this stuff, and actually, Clinic are still “good.” The songs I’m posting here are "good." Clinic know what they want to do, and they do it well. They get paid along the way, too, and I’m happy that they’ve built the success of their early EPs and albums into a long career. Anyway, these songs are a good introduction to Clinic, because really any song from their entire catalog would do.

Clinic - Free Not Free [Do It! LP, 2008]
Clinic - Emotions [Do It! LP, 2008]

Kompakt update

Thanks to my friend Rainbo Video, I've been blessed with the complete discography of Kompakt records through 2006. Every so often I'll dig through and check out a random album. Lately I've been listening to Michael Mayer's Immer mix, which shows how textures and clicks can be formed into something danceable, or at least something highly head-noddable. It gets a little too melodramatic for me towards the end, but the first 9 tracks or so are all really good, especially 3-9. You can download the best one right now, or just grab the album from the second link. I've posted a lot of Kompakt stuff already, but this is a really good introduction to the label.

Carsten Jost - You Don't Need A Weather Man (Superpitcher remix) [Immer, 2002]

Michael Mayer - Immer

Cornelius

Cornelius at The Fillmore, 1/19/08. photo by hippiesaredead

It's always a good sign when multiple people grab you to say "dude, you must see this band." This happened to me a couple of months ago with Cornelius, and I'm glad I went. He and his band (collectively, the Cornelius Group) put on a very enjoyable rock show, with extremely technical audio-visual synchronization. He's not doing anything that's going to rocket him to the blog stratosphere, but if you like rock music (ha) these tracks should be up your alley. Let me just mention now that The Smashing Pumpkins sit at the top of my own personal Olympus of rock bands, and I hear some of those arena-rock leanings in Cornelius, especially "Beep It."

Cornelius - Beep It [Sensuous LP, 2007]

Cornelius - Music [Sensuous LP, 2007]

The further exploits of Boom Bip [Neon Neon]

Gruff n Bryan

So, when is Boom Bip going to hit the big time? He's a couple of albums in to his career, he already picked up and moved to LA, and his last solo EP was killer. Now comes Neon Neon, a project with Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals. While I'm personally excited about this project, and the two songs I'm posting couldn't be any better, I'm not sure this is what he needs to be putting out right now.

The name of the group and the title of the album, Stainless Style, pretty much give things away here. On last year's Sacchrilege EP, Boom Bip put together a sound that borrowed heavily from disco and 80's pop, while also keeping in touch with the 'maximal' style that will define 2007. (Justice? Good, but also overrated, my friends, let's see a second album) Stainless Style takes that sound and ditches any pretension of being dancefloor-friendly, leaving behind loads of 80's pop references. The first few synth stabs of "I Told Her on Alderaan" would sound cheesy in almost any context, but Boom Bip can pull it off. "Steel Your Girl" is a tremendous pop song helped out by Gruff's sweet-sounding harmonies.

As great as this music is - it's easily the best thing I've heard this year - I can't help but feel that Boom Bip could be producing club hits on par with the other heavy hitters in the indie dance world. I love Gruff and SFA, but Boom Bip doesn't need help from that audience. I personally welcome more songs about Princess Leia's home planet. I really just want to see Boom Bip make a run at the pop world, though. Hopefully this is a start. Who would stop him?

Neon Neon - I Told Her on Alderaan [Stainless Style LP, 2008]

Neon Neon - Steel Your Girl [Stainless Style LP, 2008]

Song of the year [Map of Africa]

Hey! Student's role within the music blogging community should be to feed on the scraps that more prolific bloggers have left behind. I would be more aware of this situation, and possibly be able to contribute things that are actually new, if I were to read more music blogs. Frankly, though, everyone's opinion is worthless, you guys are all two-bit hacks, and your taste is horrible. I don't have the time, let alone the willpower, to download your puny offerings.

With that, I present to you Hey! Student's BEST SONG OF 2007, which you should definitely download. It's "Map of Africa," by Map of Africa. This CD was featured in the front window of many Japanese record stores, +1. It's also got a sweet, enigmatic cover, so +2. Really, I like this music because it's not trying to do anything too trendy for these modern times, it's just a couple of dudes playing simple songs that don't sound overproduced. If you read the lyrics to "Map of Africa" you could easily think this is a product of nauseating irony, but no, he does just want to make a map of Afirca "all in your pretty bed, babe." Seriously!

I also highly recommend the other track here, "Bone," which has a great keyboard line. How many songs of the past year can claim that?

Map of Africa - Map of Africa [Map of Africa LP, 2007]

Map of Africa - Bone [Map of Africa LP, 2007]