music:

Listening to Ozomatli is kind of like putting the iPod of someone with very eclectic music taste on shuffle and using some type of magical new app to combine five different genres into one catchy song. The ten-piece band’s sound has been described as having elements of Latin, reggae, rock, rap, hip-hop, salsa, jazz, and funk music, all at the same time. In an interview, two of the band members themselves attempted to described Ozomatli’s diverse arrangement of sound, comparing it to when “you drive down Sunset Boulevard and turn off your stereo and roll down your windows and all the music that comes out of each and every different car, whether it’s salsa, cumbia, merengue, or hip hop, funk, or whatever, it’s that crazy blend that’s going on between that cacophony of sound is Ozomatli.” This analogy to the rhythms of choice of Los Angelenos is no accident. The band met and was formed in the heart of LA in 1995, and their earliest performances were on street corners and along picket lines in the area. Since then, Ozomatli’s success has taken off, and they’ve played for appreciative audiences across the globe. Ozomatli returns a little closer to their home city tonight, taking over the House of Blues Anaheim with comedians Cristela Alonzo and Dillon Garcia as openers.

If you’re not going to the show, don’t let that stop you from checking out the unique blend of Los Angeles sound that is Ozomatli.

Ozomatli – City of Angels

Just as Mirrors in Your Eyes turned Soundpool away from shoegaze and into the realm of disco pop, this reply from fellow indie electronic artists takes them even further.  The only hints of shoegaze remaining are the soft, ambient vocals that seem to contribute to the atmosphere instead of driving the song forward.  By the nature of a remix album, every song is unique and stands apart, and they are all worth the time to listen.  I’m sure there were remixes to every song on the original album, but the remix album only gives the songs worth listening to.  Sit down, listen up, and enjoy a wide variety of styles that are all connected by the distant vocals that set Soundpool apart from the rest.

Recommended Tracks: 1, 2, 4

–NM

Scorched Transmissions’ S/T debut is a work of art that has its ups and downs. Consisting of three members, Future Metz (Rapper), Avitar Virgonian and JD Casten, the group makes a Hip Hop album that definitely sounds original. For example, the track “iFold” features one of the most creative Hip Hop beats I’ve ever heard; the track is also unique in that rapping is used more like a sample and that makes rapping part integrated into the overall flow and development of the beat. From song to song the style of beats can range from Hip Hop to ambient, drone, electronic and trip hop. Lots of varying instruments are used to enhance the overall mood of the album, such as jazz instruments, and this works in favor of the band’s music. The producer is clearly talented and many of the highlights of the album can be found in its clever and atmospheric beats. However Scorched Transmissions is not a perfect album. Though his rapping sometimes help develop the song in a good way, often Future Metz’s plain rapping usually gets in the way and prevent the music from its full maturation. He does try varying his style by switching between spoken words and normal rapping, but he generally speaks at an awkward time and his flow is way too simplistic; his talent as a rapper is far from being impressive. Scorched Transmissions’ debut work wasn’t an impressive release, but it was a release that caught my attention. It would be interesting to see how they develop from here.
Grade: B

~by Tad Machida

On the heels of the announcement of Nicki Minaj’s upcoming Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (named after her beloved alter ego, Roman Zolanski), I decided to rank her features on songs so far (because that’s what music-heads like to do)!! She’s had her share of memorable guest appearances on tracks of artists’ as diverse as Mariah Carey and The Lonely Island, but the following 5 stick out as shining moments:

Read the rest of this entry »

2011 marked another year in music ruled by women. Looking back at this phenomenal year, we can think of the biggest hits and notice one major similarity–they had female voices singing them!) Their massive releases ruled radio waves and iPod playlists for the greater majority of the world’s music lovers. What was notable were the releases by five female juggernauts–Beyonce, Adele, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears & Rihanna. In retrospect, which of the DIVA5 (see what I did there?!) fared best? Whose album is ranked dead last? Let’s proceed…

Read the rest of this entry »

Looks like the eccentric Lady Gaga has done it again! Her new video for “Marry the Night”  off of her Born this Way album has already racked up almost 4.5 million views in its first day online. Rumor has it that it’s aiming to beat Eminem’s “Love the Way You Lie,” which had 6.5 million views on it’s first day.

Personally, I like Lady Gaga. She has dedicated herself to her performance more than any other performer I know. She puts her identity aside and makes her whole life about her music and persona. When I first heard her, I never guessed that she was accepted to Juliard at age 11, but went to Catholic school instead.  She wrote her first piano ballad at 13, and at 17 was one of only 20 people in the world to be admitted to New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts early admittance. She ended up leaving to pursue a music career, but was not immediately successful. Lady Gaga took various jobs, including being a gogo dancer for a while, to make ends meet. She performed at bars and venues around New York before being hired as a songwriter for Interscope Records. Akon “discovered” her while she was performing one night, and she was signed to the record. Her debut album, The Fame, was a huge success, and her first hit “Just Dance” reached #1 on the mainstream pop charts in 2009. Her song “Poker Face” was even more of a success, and launched her into her current fame.

This new music video truly epitomizes Gaga’s interesting artistic choices and really displays her dedication to her performances.

10th week is here, and finals are approaching faster than anyone would like them to.  I find that listening to music while I study helps me be more relaxed (or keeps me awake) so I can get through what I need to.  Here’s some of my personal favorite study music; check it out & feel free to share your own favorites.

Mixtapes keep musicheads spoiled–supplying us with little treats between albums is the best way to keep us excited and for an artist, staying relevant. They can offer superb work, as artists usually find a freedom sometimes suppressed by music company restraints and such. Check out some mixtapes that continue to give me life:

1 Maluca | China Food

It took only one listen of Maluca’s China Food mixtape to make me wish I was a Dominican chick from NYC spending my Friday nights at some vogue club. You don’t have to feel the same way but you need to know that the explosive album (which is in my top 5 releases of anything in 2010) has put this ’slick Dominican chick’ on the underground alt/dance scene… just don’t be surprised if you catch yourself yelling “WEPA!!” from time to time. China Food is the product of a list of Mad Decent producers and Maluca, a new-age club diva who raps and sings over Latin-influenced dance music and dance-influenced Latin music. Electronic merengue y hip-hop, house, vogue music, punk, mambo… girl does it all. Thematically, China Food takes its listeners on a biographical and sonic journey from Maluca’s point-of-view–seeing where she’s come from, as far as musical influences are concerned, and courtesy of a sample from dialogue in the movie Precious, the whimsical-dance-party-from-the-future she’s heading to. This virtually flawless mixtape’s just a sample of what is to come from Maluca and is surely like nothing anyone has ever heard before!

Read the rest of this entry »

August is here, and for California music festival-goers that means Outside Lands is finally just around the corner. San Francisco’s premiere music festival brings to the table an experience that your average festival cannot. Not only does it bring forth a variety of artists difficult to find elsewhere, Outside Lands prides itself on its ability to showcase local food, wine, art, and businesses in a wholly San Francisco style.

Music:
Outside Lands’ lineup reflects San Francisco’s diverse music tastes. Few festivals are able to list headliners that include Phish right next to Deadmau5. The three-day lineup includes classic rock, hip-hop, alternative, funk, EDM, and everything in between.

Friday highlights:
Phish, MGMT, The Shins, The Original Meters, Erykah Badu, Big Boi, Foster the People

Saturday highlights:
Muse, the Black Keys, the Roots, Arctic Monkeys, STRFKR, Girl Talk

Sunday highlights:
Arcade Fire, Deadmau5, Major Lazer, Latyrx, tUnE-YarDs, the Decemberists, STS9, John Fogerty

Food:
Outside Lands calls its food lineup “A Taste of the Bay Area”. As a San Francisco native, I can tell you that they do a great job getting some of the most popular food vendors to come out for the festival.

Highlights:
-Gordo Taqueria
San Franciscans will always debate about the best burrito in the city, and Gordo will always be among the places listed. With 3 locations throughout San Francisco, Gordo is without question one of the most popular burrito places in the bay area

-Maverick/ Memphis Minnie’s:
BBQ Pulled Pork sandwiches are one of the few real American contributions to cuisine. Memphis Minnies’ supplies the Tennessee fire, while Maverick’s barbecue is Cincinnati-style. You really can’t go wrong either way

-The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen:
Gourmet grilled cheese? Not an oxymoron. These guys bring the heat with some incredible grilled cheese creations, as well as gourmet mac N cheese. Bacon Turkey Mac N Cheese. ‘Nuff Said.

-Mission Minis/ Kara’s Cupcakes:
LA showed the world that cupcakes could be brought to a new level with Sprinkles. San Francisco has seen an influx of cupcake-centered restaurants over the past few years, and Outside Lands is bringing two of the best. Between Kara’s full-sized delights and Mission Minis’ smaller fare, you’ll be able to find any combination of cake and frosting you want.

-Bonus: Spicy Pie
Spicy Pie is by no means bay area fare, but a must-have at any festival. Great pies and usually the cheapest hearty option wherever you see it.

Stay tuned for more updates and previews as the festival draws closer

Not a lot of band can pull off what Septicflesh manages to do. Following their successful 2008 release Communion, Christos, Fotis, Spiros, and Sotiris have created a work of art that can only be called a masterpiece, The Great Mass. Everything works perfectly in this album: the album flows with water-like fluidity, the band members’ technical skills are at their best, and the band’s compositional skill have improved tremendously.

Read the rest of this entry »

Cinemetropolis, the highly anticipated third full-length album from the Seattle duo Blue Scholars was released 2 weeks before the planned official release date of June 14^th. In an effort to connect directly with fans, Blue Scholars made the decision to independently release Cinemetropolis with the reasoning, “No record label. No marketing and distribution deal. No middlemen. No bullshit.” They explain the relation between their creative production and the music industry as an incompatible, even unnecessary pairing. Instead, Blue Scholars utilized the online project funding system Kickstarter, through which dedicated fans were encouraged to pledge to the cause with the promise of the digital album weeks before the official June release. The final total of $62,000 significantly eclipsed the original fundraising goal of $25,000.

The album takes inspiration from cinema and its vast influence on modern life. Many track titles represent esteemed individuals, some directly tied to the film industry. (Full track list available below.) Vocalist Geologic explains that the moving image has formed our “real” world so much that it often actually feels more real. The Scholars have plans with directors and filmmakers to create corresponding music videos, short films and multimedia projects, rendering Cinemetropolis a multidimensional, reverse-soundtrack of sorts.

As the third full-length album from Blue Scholars, Cinemetropolis is comparatively more sophisticated than previous albums and EPs, especially the more substantive, potent contribution from the remarkably skilled DJ/Producer Sabzi.  While Cinemetropolis brings Sabzi out from the background, it still showcases Geo’s smart, biting lyrics. Ultimately this makes the album an undeniably equivalent effort that displays a wide range of sentiment, from the sparkly 8-bit in “Cinemetropolis” to the grandiose, dark musing of “Anna Karina” to the tricksy synth and chill beat of the marijuana anthem “Tommy Chong.”

Still, even with the film influence and growth of the duo, the signature Blue Scholar flavor lives on. There remains a clear motif of social commentary, and as always, a rampant Pacific Northwest pride.

The Blue Scholars’ talent and profound motivation to make strong, relevant music for fans justifies high regard, and the skill in Cinemetropolis deserves applause for being an album that can irrefutably be called a work of art.

Track List and Details

Cinemetropolis

Hussein

Fou Lee (Seattle grocery store)

Lalo Schifrin (Composer)

Seijun Suzuki (Film maker)

Anna Karina (Actress)

Marion Sunshine (Actress)

Slick Watts (Basketball player, public figure)

George Jackson (Political activist)

Oskar Barnack ∞ Oscar Grant (Inventor, Martyr)

Yuri Kochiyama (Human rights activist)

Rani Mukerji (Actress)

Tommy Chong (Comedian)

Chief Sealth (Public figure, namesake of Seattle)

Fin

There’s a few reasons why, if you haven’t already heard of and/or listened to Okkervil River, you should go check them out right now. (seriously, right now.) I’m going to do this in bullet point form.

• They’ve been going strong since 1998, which means they’ve had no less than 13 years to develop their sound and figure out the best ways to collaborate
• They’re signed to Jagjaguwar Records, which is also home to artists like Bon Iver and Volcano Choir
• They take their name from a Russian short story, which is cool
• Their lead singer looks like this
• They’re releasing their new album TODAY, so you can listen to their very current work as well as some of their older stuff
• They’ll be at the Wiltern Theatre on Wilshire Blvd on June 23, so there’s still time to listen to them, love them, and buy tickets!

Read the rest of this entry »

Liturgy’s latest release, Aesthetica, is an album that many traditional Black Metal fans would find disappointing. Unlike old Black Metal, you will not find blasphemy nor crushing angry atmosphere in Liturgy’s music. However that does not mean Aesthetica is a bad album. To put it in simple term, Aesthetica is Liturgy’s experiment: a experiment to see how the band can implement the chaotic, abrasive sounds of Burzum and Mayhem in a new way.

Read the rest of this entry »

Let me start off by saying that I am not a fan of Technical Death Metal. Its lack of song development, repetitive song structure and unnecessarily long guitar solos have always made me believe that Tech-Death is the weakest sub-genre of Metal. Despite all of that I absolutely loved the latest release from the German Progressive Technical Death Metal band, Obscura. Comprised of two former members of legendary Necrophagist, Obscura has released what may be one of the the best Metal album I’ve ever heard, Omnivium.

Read the rest of this entry »

I am currently listening to Do Make Say Think, and it’s got me thinking. A few months ago, I had the opportunity to see the group on tour, and, despite having high expectations, I have to say that I had mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, I genuinely enjoyed the performance. I am a supporter of this band, because I think they write really well, mess with the conventions of their genre, and never get caught musical place twice. But there is another point to be made about the DMST live show, and I think that to make it, I’m going to have to back up and talk about the genre whose accepted name everyone loves to hate: “post-rock.” For those not in the know, this consists of such bands as Explosions In The Sky, Mogwai, Godspeed You Black Emperor, arguably Slint and Tortoise, and of course, our subject, Do Make Say Think. Read the rest of this entry »