One EP and two seven inches. Eight incredibly-rare tracks dug up from the past. Twenty-four minutes in length. Garage Psych Rock blended with Afro-Funk. Fuzzy guitars, Vox organ vibes, vocals with loads of reverb, dirty drum breaks throughout. It’s the raw sounds of The Psychedelic Aliens from Accra, Ghana recorded in the late ’60s and early ’70s.
The Psychedelic Aliens - Psycho African Beat; Academy LPs, 2010
It was after midnight had come, That the new year had begun / It was time man to drink some rum, Celebrate all the new things to come / Man say you want to live a brand new life, Sing a new song old habits must die / I know you want to try and try, But when you say that it can’t be no lie / Man you must try and change your ways, Cause if you don’t it might be too late / Bring the new year and happy days, Stop this fussing and fighting today
Just came across the Critical Past website that was launched earlier this year. It’s a treasure trove of archived footage including videos and photographs. The presentation of the site is key and searching through the database is incredibly easy. Head over there and expect to spend hour upon hour browsing the goods. Quality stuff!
Talk about confused as a mutha when I flipped on the tube and the sport of Kabbadi from the 2010 Asian Games was on. Never had seen it before in my life and couldn’t figure out the object of the game in the least bit. Click here and see if you can tell me what is going on?
Taken aback a bit when I saw the headline in the news that said “Thai Police Find 2,000 Illegally Aborted Fetuses at Buddhist Temple“. Crazy shit from here in the “Land of Smiles”.
The 3J’s, which features Jesse and Josh of the Aggrolites and Josh from ¡Aparato!, serve up a Brazilian-Jazz version of “Free Time” by the Aggrolites off their Reggae Hit L.A. album.
Flying Lotus x Adult Swim dropped the video for “Zodiac Shit” recently. An absolutely killer, tripped-out journey through the celestial sphere and its various representations of the zodiac.
Watching the above reminds me of the work of Vince Collins, creator of some crazy hallucinogenic visuals. Holy insanity!
Ubiquity just put out these super-sick slipmats for your wheels of steel as a part of their commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Groove Merchant record store. Pick up the slipmats here and the choice selections on the compilation here. Fresh!
A wealth of amazing photos are to be found in the 2010 National Geographic Photo Contest collections. Haven’t browsed through all of the galleries to pick a favorite, so featured below is the winning photograph from Aaron Lim Boon Teck. Stunning. Click the picture to view the other entries.
Haven’t had the opportunity to watch any NBA games this year (and it is gonna remain that way all season…again!), but I try to peep the highlights when I can. One thing I do know, Blake Griffin is a fuggin’ beast. Never had a chance to see him in his college days, so seeing his aggressive inside play and how he attacks the rim is a first for me. Nasty!
Watch the highlight reel below (and this more-than-half-court oop which happened this past week before the reel was made) which represents only the first month or so of the season! Here’s the snapshot from the #1 dunk which is completely filthy. If you don’t like this, you don’t like NBA basketball!
Not a supporter of the newly-assembled Miami Heat squad, however the photograph below is sick. Yes, D-Wade’s right pinky looks cut off (looks like some foreshortening going on), and, yes, the perspective makes BronBron look a bit like a mini-BronBron, but the swagger of D-Wade celebrating before the flush is straight boss in my book. Killer snap.
P.U.T.S. reminded me recently of two things I miss from back home in the States. House parties and beer! Would’ve be sweet to check out one (or more) of those Secret House Party shows they did recently and to get wasted on something other than fuckin’ lager beer which is about all you can find here in Thailand. Ugh!
DJ Day drops some mad flavor on his cut “Fuss and Fight” featuring Blame One and Aloe Blacc. This joint has been featured in a few mixes out there, but here it is in its own glory. Hella nice vibes. Run di reel below for a listen and grab the track here.
Give a listen to “Bina”, the first cut to be served up off of Shawn Lee’s World of Funk set to be issued on Feb. 8th of next year. Been a fan of his for years and his output never fails to amaze me. Truly impressive how much he releases and that all the beats rank as top-notch. If you haven’t already, pick up his interpretations of well-known classical arrangements titled Hooked Up Classics which dropped recently, and, if you don’t have any of his material at all, it’s time to get diggin’!
DJ Nu-Mark dropped this 20-minute mix of Samba, Cumbia, Calypso, Rumba, Afro-beat and Balkan beats as a sampler to his upcoming mixtape of the same name, Take Me With You, which is intended to be a platter you can take with you in your travels wherever you may go. Be on the lookout for his full length, Broken Sunlight, to drop early next year.
DJ Nu-Mark – Take Me With You; Mochilla, 2010 (Right Click to Download)
Recycling some Christmas vibes from a post last year. Wishing everyone who stops by this site a happy holiday season and all the best to each of you in the year to come. Get into the spirit and enjoy these holiday vibes that I’ll be spinnin’ this time of year. Two classic albums that have been present on the hi-fi since childhood, a bit of comedy from the Adult Swim crew, another record that perfectly regrooves the traditional Christmas songbook, choice selections from Bob Dylan’s ‘Theme Time Radio Hour’, and a final platter (…with ridiculously-boss cover art) filled with stone-cold Funk & Soul rarities in the Yuletide tradition.
Nico Gomez is actually Josef Van Het Groenewoud, a Belgian writer/composer who recorded Latin-American sounds. Ritual, containing a choice blend of Latin-Funk grooves, dirty breaks, fuzzy guitars, heavy organ and deep Afro-Soul, fires on all cylinders. Don’t hesitate to grab this beyond-dope platter.
Nico Gomez and His Afro Procussion Inc. – Ritual; Omega International, 1971
Taken last month during the annual Vegetarian Festival held predominantly in the southern provinces of Thailand. Specifically the Eiw Geng processions of San Jao Jui Tui in Suan Luang, Phuket Town and San Jao Guan Ou in Takuapa, Phang Nga. Exhilarating!
http://www.thegoldbrick.net/video/takuapavegetarian2010-01.flv http://www.thegoldbrick.net/video/takuapavegetarian2010-02.flv http://www.thegoldbrick.net/video/takuapavegetarian2010-03.flv
It’s monsoon season here in Southern Thailand. A few weeks back I made my way over to Thong Takian Beach, next to my house, and was hoping to go for a swim. While I knew the sea was getting rough, I was still quite shocked to see the change when I rounded the corner. Click on the thumbnails to check some before, in August, and after, now, pictures.
Mother Nature has dumped buckets upon buckets of rain on this country during November. First it was the central provinces and Isaan that got hit with torrid flooding. Then it was down here in the south. After being hit by a tropical depression, Koh Samui has been flooded out for the past couple weeks. The worst of the worst was down in Songkhla in the major city of Hat Yai where the water rose to 3 meters in places. While it is quick to point to the horrendous weather as the cause of this massive inundation, this Bangkok Post article provides insight into how the actions of people have made matters worse than they really should be. Regardless of the root of it, I wish all the best to everyone in various parts of the country who are recovering during this time.
Moving on to a lighter tone, I’m looking forward to getting my hands on the upcoming set of five 7″s by the Aggrolites. Each pressing will be released monthly starting in December for a total of ten new tracks for your listening pleasure. Not too much information out there now on it, but check Young Cub Records for future updates and sound samples.
Came across this post one day. A glimpse into the booklet for Madlib Medicine Show No.7: High Jazz and the screen printing they did for the LPs. While downloading music is key and all; it doesn’t beat actually holding a record or flipping through the liner notes and artwork of a release. Cost over pleasure at this point I suppose. Would love to check out all those mock covers for the Yesterdays Universe collective. Looks dope.
Speaking of record jackets, artwork and liner notes for releases, how about the insanely killer design of the upcoming Psychedelic Aliens record titled Psycho African Beat on Voodoo Funk. Wow! I had little doubt that the vibes would be stellar, but no idea that the release would come packaged like this. Perhaps I gotta figure out how to cost-effectively get this one shipped halfway around the world. Don’t hesitate on picking this one up!…or you can opt for the equally nice box set of four 45s. Pure sweetness. Click here for more photos.
Absolutely beautiful work by Dustin Ferrell on his Landscapes: Volume One collection of time-lapse sequences. Stunning! Be sure to give his other work a view as well. Makes me want to go back and visit the Southwestern U.S. again. Beautiful beyond belief there.
Regarding non-verbal films, the calendar is getting closer and closer to the release of Ron Fricke’s latest effort, Samsara,which is expected within the next year. Can’t wait for the day as I’m certain it will deliver a life-changing experience through jaw-dropping visuals in the same manner as Baraka. Read more about the film and stay updated via Spirit of Baraka.
Saw this French AIDS-awareness video recently on TV here in Thailand. Love the idea and love that it was airing on a public network. You’d never see something like this make it to the airwaves back home in the States.
Would’ve been sweet to check out the sounds of Clive Chin who brought his sound to Asia and teamed last month up with The Uprooted Sunshine Soundsystem and selectors from the extended Randy’s family to mash up di dance throughout China. Click here the full poster.
Never heard of Clive Chin? Randy’s? Impact? 17 North Parade? Greensleeves? VP? Then it’s time to check The Story of Randy’s courtesy of United Reggae. The Chin family started a little record store in 1958 in downtown Kingston and over the course of time it went on to become the biggest label in the history of Reggae.
Most people probably don’t know it, but the Chinese immigrant population had a huge influence on the sound of Jamaica. From the original deejay, Tom the Great Sebastian aka Thomas Wong (this man alongside King Stitt and Count Machuki started what is presently known as Rap!), to producers and musicians like Justin Yap at Top Deck, Byron Lee, Leslie Kong at Beverly’s, Clive Chin at Impact!, and the mighty team of Ernest and Joseph “Jo Jo” Hookim at Channel One; the Chinese imprint on JA music from Ska to Rocksteady to Reggae to Dub to Roots & Culture is undeniable.
It’s been a month or so since the World Series-winning S.F. Giants knocked my Bravos out of the postseason, but I haven’t posted any ruminations since then. Therefore, I would be remiss to not recognize our veteran manager, Bobby Cox, for the contributions he made to the city of Atlanta and the Braves organization over the course of his storied career. All the best in your retirement and thanks for all the memories.
Diggin’ the stripped down sound of the Street Dogs presented by Dying Scene Sessions on their exclusive videos of acoustic performances inclusive of a never-played-before track called “Pedestal”.
Check the latest track from Amy Winehouse (right click to save) taken from Quincy Jones’ upcoming Q: Soul Train Bossa Nostra album. On the Mark Ronson-produced cut she covers Leslie Gore’s “It’s My Party”.
Nice stop-motion animation video below from David Cox set to the “Love Dub” tune by Tommy McCook & the Supersonics. Rub-A-Dub!
Chikaramanga recently dropped the fourth 7″ in his six-part series. The track titled “T.R.E.S.Q.” features ESQ spittin’ fresh rhymes on the mic. Give it a listen below and pick up the first three pressings here.
I’ve been hunting for years for the video to the song featured below. It is Vic Ruggerio performing an organ version of Willie Nelson’s “Always on my Mind”. While the song is great, the video is where it is at! Featuring Cris ‘The Wix’ Qualiana and filmed in the practice space at Jammyland (I think), it used to be on Hellcat’s site circa 2001, but disappeared one day. Regretfully, I don’t have a copy. Glad at least that this audio version popped up on the Web recently. If you happen to have this video, please send it over! If you prefer a better-quality, fuller-sound version performed by the entire Slackers crew, then check this live version from a show at the Middle East. Equally killer!
Did you see the J.Period and Black Thought collaboration on the Live Mixtape: Illadelph Edition at the Manifesto Festival in Toronto from a couple months back? Didn’t know he had done these live mixtape shows and the idea of bringing it all together with Black Thought solely only the mic was choice! Bet the full set of this was killer.
Never knew the cover artwork for Life Goes in Circles: Sounds from the Talent Corportation 1974-79, which showcases the work of the great Tommy Cowan, on the Pressure Sounds label was lifted from Freddie Hubbard’s Hub Cap released in 1961 on the Blue Note label. Love discovering stuff like this.
Sad to report the recent passing of Sonia Pottinger, the first female producer in Jamaican history. She operated the Tip Top Record Shop and ran a variety of imprints including Gay Feet, Tip Top, Rainbow and High Note. The roster of artists that she worked with include some of the finest vocalists on the island. Her legacy of beautiful Rocksteady and Reggae tunes remains. Nuff respect to Mrs. Pottinger who was truly harder than the rest! Below is one of the many tunes she produced that I love and have listened to countless times over.
These were taken during a recent trip across the border to the island of Penang in Malaysia. A nice place to visit with plenty of things to intrigue visitors. Among the sights I saw during my short time there were the beautiful national park on the northwestern tip of the island looking out toward the Strait of Malacca, white-sand beaches along the coast of Batu Ferringhi, a stunning temple on the hills of Air Itam with an amazing Guan Im statue that is still being completed, and plenty of interesting street life, Chinese temples, mosques, great food in Little India and historic architecture around every corner in the UNESCO World Heritage City of Georgetown.
A glimpse of life during the last few months. Taken throughout home here in the southern region of Thailand including the provinces of Phang Nga, Surat Thani, Songkhla, Ranong, Phuket and Krabi.
It comes with teary eyes to report the passing of the legendary Gregory Isaacs. His career spanned more than four decades and was loaded with hits that dominated the soundwaves of Jamaica. While Bob Marley was the king of Reggae internationally, it was Isaacs and Dennis Brown who truly ruled the sound on the island. An unmistakable vocal style and a smoothness that few possessed, the treasure that is recordings by The Cool Ruler will never be forgotten by many including yours truly.
Just last night that I was spinning some vibes and chilling out on a Sunday evening. Tossed one of my favorite tunes of his, “Sacrifice” off the Mr. Isaacs set from 1978, on the platter. To nice up the dance and keep that sweet melody flowin’, I dropped Ronnie Davis’ heavy version titled “Inna Dis Ya Time”, a 45 on Blackbeard’s Mr. Tipsy label. Both are included below to delight your ears.
Below is my favorite shot of the man taken by Beth Lesser. He’s in front of his African Museum store on Chancery Lane, Kingston. F’n love the slackness of his style. For many years now, I’ve wanted to rock my belt in the same fashion as him, but figured 100% of the people I’d meet on the streets would just give me strange looks and totally not get my inspiration.
Beautiful vibes featured above. There are literally thousands more cuts that you can dig through in his catalog. Should you need a start, I recommend the “Mr. Know It All” 12″ recorded for D.E.B. Music in 1978. The cut is an extension of his Mr. Isaacs sessions where Ossie Hibbert was at the controls. The flipside showcases the dub treatment by Ossie Hibbert & The Revolutionaries titled “War of the Stars”. Mighty vibes!
Quite coincidental that he was featured, alongside Augustus Pablo, on the cover of the latest issue of Wax Poetics. Already looked like a collector’s item to me, but I suppose it is probably more so now. Pick up a copy here.
Long Live the Cool Ruler!
Chillin’ out around Laem Panwa and atop Khao Khad in Phuket, one of my favorite areas of the island. A quiet and relaxing escape from the continual activity along the west coast with natural surroundings and scenic views. On this day, in the span of an hour, a menacing storm came over the hills and then moved out to sea. As I sat up there taking in the scenery, the native eagles circled about the hilltop and, as the storm pushed out to sea, a double rainbow (in fact, a faint triple) appeared and stretched from bay to bay. So intense!
Y Society (Insight + Damu the Fudgemunk) recently dropped the single and video for “Don’t Do It” which will be featured on Damu’s Supply for Demand EP due out late this year. The followup to their incredible debut album, Travel at Your Own Pace, remains one of my highly-anticipated platters to come. Titled Cold Crush Can’t Be Touched, it’s set to be released in early 2011. Counting the days already. Check this post for more insane beats from Damu the Fudgemunk.
Two cuts from the Miguel Atwood-Ferguson Ensemble as part of Grand Performances at California Plaza in Los Angeles on July 23rd. Looked incredible and I can only hope that this comes out as a CD/DVD set in the future.
Donny Hathaway’s “Someday We’ll All Be Free” featuring Bilal
J Dilla’s “Drips/Take Notice” featuring Flying Lotus
Would absolutely love to thumb through the Rancid photo book that accompanied their collector’s edition of Let the Dominoes Fall album released last year. The photography by Rob Naples and Rachel Tejada looks amazing. Simply don’t have a spare US$150 to drop for the set. Check some previews here.
Came across this track while watching some P.U.T.S. videos on YouTube. It’s “Give It Up” featuring J-Live on the mic and Thes One on the beats. Off the Impeach the Precedent compilation that came out back in 2005. Can’t find it anywhere though, so if ya got it, send it over. Would love to hear some of the exclusive cuts it contains. Update: Got it! Check it here.
Surprised to see my old stomping grounds of Home Park, Atlanta, GA included in the Generation Jihad program I watched a few weeks ago. Syed Haris Ahmed, one of the men featured in the series was a Georgia Tech student who lived on Ethel Street and the host, Peter Taylor, was in the area filming an interview with his father. Never knew about his arrest in 2006 (and conviction in 2009) and did a double take when they cut to that segment. Crazy.
Been watching the USA basketball team at the FIBA World Championship the past week or so. Damn I miss watching hoops (and playing hoops for that matter). The tournament has seen some quality action from competitive teams throughout the globe. Our squad is lacking some of the bigger names from The Association, but I won’t get on my soapbox about that. Just supporting the guys who did participate. Let’s get ‘em and take home the championship on Sunday.
Speaking of the FIBA games, here’s a message to Malaysia’s Astro Sports channel. First, you can take the 2010 World Cup logo off your live feed. It’s been over for a couple months now. Get with it. Second, whichever American broadcaster you choose to do the games was a choice decision. I gotta figure out who that guy is ’cause his enthusiasm is unmatched. Even in such mediocre games as Jordan vs. Tunisia. Voice Immodulation Syndrome in effect! Cheers to you mystery announcer man!
On the hoops note, big ups to Scottie Pippen, Karl Malone and the USA Basketball team from 1992 aka The Dream Team for their induction into the NBA Hall of Fame. Both players and all involved with the greatest team ever assembled were players I avidly followed as a kid and their game was always a pleasure to watch. Emulated their style on the blacktop week in and week out. Click the links for some highlights. Still wish I never got rid of this shirt from the Olympics in Barcelona. Killer threads.
Hollywood comes to the sleepy little town that I used to live in for a couple of years in Phang Nga. The movie The Impossible staring Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts will start shooting in Bang Sak and surrounding areas in October of this year. Interested to check the film out and to see how they portray the events of the tsunami that struck there in 2004 which is the subject of the film.
Came across this image while browsing the Web recently. Well executed. Love the idea. Come to think of it, Jimi hasn’t been in the rotation for far too long. Gotta remedy that soon.
Thoroughly enjoyed the interview conducted by Music Like Dirt with Laurence Cane-Honeysett, from Trojan Records, who has been rooting through the vaults, unpicking the scrambled or unlabeled 1/4-inch masters in search of undiscovered gems ripe for reissue throughout the past two decades. Sounds like one of the best jobs in the world to me.
After being taken over by Universal in 2007, from Sanctuary, and the subsequent lack of material since then and lack of updates to their once thriving website; I, naturally, got the feeling that the label had basically ceased operations. Pleased to hear that their vaults remain deep, the material hasn’t dried up as many thought and that he says there is a wealth of unreleased tunes remaining. Even more importantly, they are in the works of revamping their site as well as putting together more compilations and individual artist releases in the coming years. Nice! Long live Trojan! Your vibes have been well missed for too many years now. The following passage from the interview had me grinning from ear to ear. Shockingly amazing to be honest.
“The golden age of Trojan, the mid-60s through to the late-70s, the amount of music produced during that time is nothing short of incredible. Even though we’ve released thousands of recordings over the last twenty years, it is just incredible for how much they could release which is much much more than has been. So, really only, I’d say, from what they’ve released is only about a quarter at most of what they have, so it’s about three-quarters of the catalog that has not been out on CD or in digital format.”
Boom-shacka-lacka! It’s best to both read and listen to the interview as the audio version only serves up some of the highlights from the extended Q&A. Stream the interview below and check the transcription here. Pick up this collection of rare, crackly dubs and versions from the flipside of Trojan 7″s on offer as well.
To celebrate six years of throwing incredibly dope parties, The Do-Over, normally held in L.A., made its way to Portland for the second of three monthly events. Renamed The Do-Oregon, the day featured a guest appearance from Ohmega Watts who was there to spit fire and chop beats. Grab his set below and read more about the event or pick up the other sets here.
Ohmega Watts – Live at The Do-Oregon; August 22nd, 2010
While chillin’ at Rock Bar (named for its construction among massive granite boulders and not the genre of music), a reggae pub near Hinta Hinyai in Lamai, a song came on the soundsystem that took me by surprise. The lyrics were “In my house, there’s a picture on the wall. Rastafari sit upon his throne!” Very curious to get digging to identify the group as I always associated those lines with Slightly Stoopid’s “Cool Down“. Now I know their inspiration. It’s Natural Ites and the Realistics “Picture on the Wall”. Boss vibes.
Peep this fresh video for “Deaky” off Julien Dyne’s Pins & Digits. New Dimensions in Sound.
Congratulations to the FOX 97 team for their upcoming induction into the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame. Certainly well deserved as their programming was always top notch. So many fond memories of listening to Randy and Spiff in the mornings and all the other host spinning oldies throughout the day. Very sad day when that station changed formats and Atlanta lost its only oldies station. Glad to see they are back on the airwaves at WYAY 106.7. Looks like I’ll have to tune in sometime from afar. All the best guys!
J.Period + Spike Lee + Micheal Jackson – Man or the Music (40 Acres Edition) was given away exclusively at the 2nd annual “Brooklyn Loves MJ” celebration in Prospect Park’s Nethermead Field back on August 29th. You probably weren’t there, so pick up the vibes here.
Check the live set of Quantic & Nickodemus spinning at the Days Like This festival in Sydney, Australia. Wicked nice vibes from these boss deejays. Impeccable taste as always.
A collection of snapshots taken within the last couple of months.
Big ups to Rapidshare for the recent adjustment to their product and pricing model which ended up giving me an additional 28 months of premium service for absolutely nothing extra. Yes, 28 months! For nothing! Holy sweetness.
Seen on the back of someone’s shirt while in line at the store: “Shit Happens…at The SPA Resort”. Intrigued by how a company could not do their homework concerning the meaning of that phrase before putting it on their company shirt, I decided to investigate a bit. Turns out, it is one of the best slogans I’ve come across in a while as The SPA Resort specializes in detox programs. Therefore, shit really does happen. Well executed.
While flippin’ the channels recently I came across the following: Segment on the straight-edge movement on FOX News of all places (the “myFOX Boston logo wasn’t featured on my feed. Had it been I would have been slightly less puzzled, but still very much so). Throwback block of videos on the V channel with Neneh Cherry – “Buffalo Stance“, Vanilla Ice – “Ice Ice Baby” and Soul II Soul – “Back to Life“. I was hopin’ so much that next up would be Another Bad Creation’s “Playground“, but it wasn’t. Would’ve been choice though. That was my jam in ’91.
TomTom x Stars Wars = Hilarious. Check the following: Darth Vader and Yoda.
Not sure how I came across this, but for some reason I ended up viewing this video from 50 Tyson. Upon doing so, I almost fell off my chair from laughing. I really don’t know what the fuck to say about this, but just had to call the dude out for being beyond lame. “Right now I’m 16 and then next year I’ll be…..what? Yep. Yeah. Yeah. and then I will be…..what? Remix.” Ha. Ha. Ha. Love the comment that says ‘the only way he’ll be dropping any album is if it falls out of his hands’. Curious as a mother to hear what some wax from this joker would sound like.
Lebron James’ Q&A forum to announce his free agency choice titled “The Decision” was whack to the nth degree. The King has been solid in my book both on the hardwood and off, but, minus the proceeds going to the Boys and Girls Club of America, I can barely think of a positive reason for being the only person in The Association to do such a thing. Ego check BronBron, ego check.
It’s mangosteen and rambutan season in Thailand (and the tropics)! Roi maak maak!
The man called Djouls from Paris DJs and Colored-Inc. featured me in his news section and added me to his recommended blogs. ‘Preciate dat. Big ups and and keep killin’ the masses with music you don’t hear on the radio!
Speaking of Djouls…Definitely do yourself a favor and check out the latest Paris DJs podcast, 21st Century Afro Extravaganza, selected and mixed by him alongside Grant Phabao and featuring a wealth of boss tunes (nearly 4 hours worth!) dug out of their Afrojazz, Afrobeat, Ethio-Jazz, Afro-Funk and Afro-Latin crates. Ridiculously on point…as usual.
Hadn’t served up some bluegrass tunes on the hi-fi in quite some time. Satisfied my fix with some live sounds from one of my favorite groups, the Packway Handle Band from good ol’ Athens, Georgia. The boys have been penning stellar compositions complete with perfect harmonies for years. Pick up this set for a fine example.
The Packway Handle Band - Live at the Fox Theatre, Boulder, CO: Feb. 1st, 2007
Nothing extraordinary, but worth checking out is the latest remix of Mayer Hawthorne’s “Maybe So, Maybe No” done inna reggae stylee. Nice tune, shoulda let Grant Phabao get his hands on it though. Vibe on it.
Trying to hunt down The Root Source’s Fire Walker. Anyone got the goods?
Refreshing to hear new vibes from Lauryn Hill. Hope it means an album will be delivered in the coming months. Check the latest single titled “Repercussions“.
The Alchemist + Oh No = Gangrene. Upcoming Gutter Water LP is gonna be ill. Check the preview track “Chain Swinging“. Check the platter details here.
Check Oh No’s Dr. No’s Infected Gadget mix done for VTech. Listen below. Download here.
Nice little present arrived in my inbox this morning. It’s the J Dilla x Serato collaboration titled Donut Shop. Pick it up here and also be sure to sign up for the Stones Throw’s newsletter to keep yourself in the loop and to get the goodies they frequently distribute.
“Jazzcats Crossing the Hudson” is the artwork for the August edition of the Madlib Medicine Show series. Dope take on “Washington Crossing the Delaware” by Emanuel Leutze. As usual, anticipating the sounds on this mix.
Cheers to Squat for the heads up on the Les Soirees des Poche featuring Fool’s Gold. Absolutely love the refreshing sounds from this outfit hailing from the City of Angels. L.A. not Bangkok that is. Check it out.
Revisited some boss dancehall vibes that were in heavy rotation back in the day. Wicked vibes that gave me chills when I heard ‘em first and gave me chills all over again. On the hi-fi: Sizzla – “Dem A Try A Ting”, Warrior King – “It’s Been A While”, Junior Kelly – “Rasta Should Be Deeper”, and Glen Washington – “One of These Days”. Run di riddim!
Kai-Jo Brothers are one of my favorite reggae/ska bands in the Land of Smiles. Learn a little bit about them in this interview they did with Trace Magazine.
I’ve been waiting a year or more to post their video for “Mhorlum Rock”. Love the Rockers-inspired story, but it looks like the second part, featuring the song itself, will never arrive. Yo P’ Jo, serve it up! Enjoy the video, take note of the subtle sounds of Delroy Wilson’s “Dancing Mood” in the background and check the last video to hear the song being played live in Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan.
Been diggin’ the mento sounds of the Jolly Boys recently. Check their site for some great videos of their songs, but first check the short documentary below to get to know them better. Their latest album, Great Expectations, is due out later this month.
Big ups to Pressure Sounds for continuing to reissue reggae vibes while nearly all others in the business have vanished (Blood & Fire, Hot Pot, Auralux) or have remained disappointingly stagnant (Heartbeat and Trojan). In the golden days, there were too many releases to keep up with. Now, I just hope to see a half-dozen per year. Therefore, I’m looking forward to getting my hands on their release which will feature 19 dub plate mixes recorded by Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry at the Black Ark from 1973-79. Check the preview track “Dub Plate Special“. Niceness guaranteed.
Maximum Sound drops some killer versions of Johnny Clarke’s “Blood Dunza”, the wicked rough rockers tune released by Bunny Lee in 1977. The collection of three 7″s features the following. Click the links for samples.
Sizzla b/w The Agrovators (extended sample)
Lutan Fyah b/w I-Octane (extended sample)
Yami Bolo b/w Dean Fraser (extended sample)
Cheers to Esperanza for the heads up on Lint’s lo-fi performance at Blast Surf and Skate in Playa del Ray, CA. Check “The 11th Hour” (video/mp3) and “Olympia, WA” (video/mp3).
Madlib serves up a rare interview in the latest edition of LA Weekly. Check Jeff Weiss’ three-page article here.
Psyched about the newest installment of the Madlib Medicine Show series. High Jazz serves up more vibes from the Yesterdays Universe with the addition of a few new projects to the collective. Sick.
Aloe Blacc showcases a few tunes, off his upcoming album Good Things, at La Favela Chic in Paris. Counting the days until this record drops.
Need to catch up on the quality releases from Colored-Inc. Especially the Hard 2 Find series! Give their jukebox a listen for a superb mix of tunes from their catalog including an exclusive Grant Phabao ‘Jazz Rework’ version of “Could Be Bitter” from Carlton Livingston’s Bridge of Life LP. Couple freebies are on offer over there as well. Grab Franck Biyong & Massak’s Afro-Beat tune “U.P.C.” off the Visions of Kamerun LP and Doctor L’s Spiritual Jazz x Slam Poetry tune “Vocal Kid-Napping” off his Land-Escape LP.
Hadn’t been over to Voodoo Funk in quite some time. Frank’s photos from a trip to Ghana and Nigeria earlier this year are on another level! Check ’em out. (Pic.1, Pic.2, Pic.3) Holy shit!
Check the sounds from the collaboration between Dr. Lloyd Miller and the Heliocentrics on their self-titled Strut release. Dig the vibes here.
Detailing the events that led up to the ‘Red Shirt’ protests, that took place from March until May in the Ratchaprasong district of Bangkok, would take way too long. To reference the issue, visit the Bangkok Post’s timeline titled ‘A Decade of Thai Politics’. Glad the conflict is over and some normalcy has been restored to the capital. Interesting to follow the daily events and see how it escalated. Had to wait for it all to calm down before heading there since the U.S. Embassy is located where the heart of the conflict took place and I was not afforded the time to just go and wait it out. Probably best for me as I would have undoubtedly put myself in a dangerous position by being overly curious to check out the situation. Ended up there a few weeks after and, aside from CentralWorld including Zen and other surrounding buildings being torched beyond repair, there was little to no evidence of any two-month standoff on the very streets where it all took place. The Big Clean-Up Day definitely accomplished its task. However, the damage had already been done in ways beyond physical evidence. Now, it is just waiting to see what event will take place next, when it will be and where. Check the Big Picture for some astounding photographs of it all. Set #1 and Set #2.
Followed the NBA Playoffs via the choice selection of videos available at NBA.com. Would love to check the hardwood action via a live feed, but I ain’t got it. However, I tuned in to NBA Radio for Game 7 of the Finals recently. Nice to hear the voices of some of my favorite announcers in The Association; Jim Durham, Hubie Brown and Dr. Jack Ramsay. Legendary crew. Respect to the Lakers for grabbin’ the rings for 2010. Champions hold down home court for the last two games of a series and they did just that. Tip of the hat to the purple and gold.
Well executed shirt on someone’s behalf for this sweet Phil Jackson shirt. 11 rings for the Zen Master!
The Golden State Warriors unveiled their new logo for the upcoming 2010-11 season and it is surely the best jersey The Association has seen in years. Inspired by “The City” jersey from 1966-71 (aka the most boss hoops jersey of all time) and others from that era. Killer! That Secondary Logo B would make a boss lid for sure.
It’s World Cup time! Reason enough to finally purchase a television. First time I’ve had one of those in two and a half years and after flippin’ through the channels available on local cable, I was missing out on nothing exciting at all. Nice to have these games at the click of a button though. My selections to view the matches are either the Thai feed on Channels 3 or 7 with a clear picture and Thai commentary or the Astro Sports feed from Malaysia with a fuzzy picture and English commentary. I’ve opted for the Thai feed with a low volume and Dancehall/Dub vibes on the hi-fi (reminds of the State Street Soundsystem days back in 2002), then switching to the other feed at an eventful moment for some proper insight. Enjoyable thus far except for the horrendous sound of the vuvuzelas and the absolutely pathetic officiating.
Speaking of that Astro Sports feed. Malaysia, time to check yourself in the commercials department. At the half, they feature some of the dumbest fucking commercials I’ve ever seen. Amazing these things get funded by companies. Example #1: MYEG.com. (shown immediately after the first half of every single match). Example #2: Cap Tangan’s Ngan Yin peanuts. (shown immediately after the MYEG.com commercial every single damn time).
While flipping the channels, I’ve seen very little awesome programming and a whole heap of garbage. Among the awesomeness were these: Speargun Hunter, Bob Munden using a revolver to open a safety pin by grazing the side of it from 15 yards away (no video, but downright amazing!), Michael Yon interview on MCOT, BBC World News, Buddha Bless’ video for “Fire“, Monster Fish, Boomerang (hilarious to watch classic cartoons overdubbed in Thai).
Among the garbage were these: FOX News, Goldfrapp’s video for “Alive” (huh?), Star Channel from India (no video but some of the weirdest programming ever, like an acid trip gone wrong), Barney and so many other things that left me scratching my head.
This one is for Khun Ree. Captured among the insanity of Khao San Road in Bangkok. Remember this song (the first one in the video) from Phuket Town niteclub days.
http://www.thegoldbrick.net/video/khaosanvibes.flv
Overheard on Khao San Road: “Yo brotha, can you spare a dollar?” – Guy from the States. Took me by surprise since asking for money is not a normal practice in Thailand and hilarious in the sense that if you are going to beg in a different country at least ask for the proper currency and find a place to do it that is not flooded with low-budget backpackers. Dumbass.
I’ve passed by this shop, in Phuket Town, a million times and have been wanting to post a picture of it for years. Its name is Goo!.net. 555.
Collection of photographs taken in the last couple months.
Haad Bo Le, Koh Yao Yai
Ao Lo Pha Lai, Koh Yao Yai
Ao Pileh, Koh Phi Phi Le
Rasada Pier, Phuket Town
High Above Samut Prakan
Vespas and World Cup Fever on Khao San Road
Don Sak, Surat Thani on the way to Koh Samui
My Backyard in Lamai, Koh Samui, Surat Thani
