SOME STUFFS: Erykah Badu reveals artwork for “…The Ankh”

Image and video hosting by TinyPic
EMEK has returned to do the artwork for Erykah Badu’s return, Part 2 of the trilogy that she has promised. This new album is called New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh (MotownUniversal) and true to her nature, she has been hard at work on this album weeks before its deadline. She has been hyping up the fact that the new album would be released on 3/3/3, perhaps a slightly vinyl-centric way to say March 30, 2010 (because 2+0+1+0 = 3) or she’s revealing a bit of mathematics.

A few songs have already been heard through television appearances and gentle leaks of a song or two. As for the production and presentation of the album, we know Madlib is definitely involved. A track listing has been revealed, but little else. Gentle trickles again. I do know that Badu herself, through her Twitter account, did something most would have thought was once impossible: she wanted to release a song with a Paul McCartney sample and asked her close friends and associates to hook her up with the right people to speak to. One thing lead to another, and in about nine hours (perhaps the power of this 3+3+3 thing), the sample was approved. While I have not heard the Badu song in question, the sample that she seeked was Wings‘ “Arrow Through Me” from the 1979 album Back To The Egg. No word if it is an actual sample or an interpolation, but as soon as I know, I’ll let you know. While Beatles samples are (for now) off-limits, McCartney has always been open to experimentation in his own music for the last 45 years. In recent years he has opened his solo catalog to advertisers, so perhaps he’s opening the door for artists to legally sample his work. Emphasis is on “legally” since his songs have been “cleverly” borrowed a number of times over the years.

  • Back to the album cover. I look at it this way, concerning her trilogy:
    Part 1: winter album, cover shows mind with clutter. Darkness surrounds.
    Part 2: spring, flowers blooming, a reawakening. Vivid purples, as if the sun is about to rise.
    Part 3: 2012, she’ll release this in late August/early September. Sunrise, a la Roy Ayers‘ “Everybody Loves The Sunshine”, with “bees and things and flowers”? Her music is reflective of her “life”, and Badu has referred to the words “my life” in songs such as “My Life” and “Love Of My Life”, so a bit of continuity would not be unlike her at all.

    Maybe it will wrap up this New Amerykah she speaks of, either that or she has already planned this out from the start. While the paranoia of 2012 lurks for some, many are looking to the year as a means of a reawakening, be it personal, spiritual, mental, social, political, everything. It’s not the end as hyped, it’s a metaphorical end to the old ways, and the need to not fear a new way.

    It will also tie in with the 2012 elections, which raises the question on whether or not President Barack Obama will have another four years. Is the idea of a “new America” already in progress? Everyone wants quick and easy, maybe Obama is doing things kama sutra style: it may be at a methodical pace that seems twice as long, but the end result will be much more joyous. Is this the hope?

    So, will this new album feature a Gravediggaz sample, honoring the dead and those who will forever dig, with the use of Prince Paul saying “1, 2 (1, 2) 1, 2 (1, 2)… you ready? (you ready?) from “Mommy What’s A Gravedigga?”

    Significance? Some say the end of the world will be on December 21, 2012. That’s 12/21/12, that “one, two”, “one, two”, and Badu will be giving the world a mic check. Could she steer it in that direction? For all I know, New Amerykah Part 3 could be a folky album, Odetta style. Wouldn’t that freak people out?

    Only time, and Badu, will tell.

  • SOME STUFFS: Melvins announce new album/tour in 2010

    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
    TheMelvins.net reports a lot of action within the camp of Melvins, including a new album to be released on June 1st by Ipecac called The Bride Screamed Murder, a North American tour that will feature Isis and Totimoshi on select dates, a Melvins/Isis split 7″ on Hydra Head, and more.

    To find out about where Melvins will be playing, head to TheMelvins.net.

    RECORD CRACK/SOME STUFFS: New Sweet Apple project takes a bite of the “Country Life”

    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
    You may have heard the buzz about Sweet Apple, a new band featuring Dave Sweetapple, Tin Parnin, John Patkovic, and J. Mascis. They’ve put together a debut album called Love & Desperation (Tee Pee) and it will be released on April 20th on both vinyl and CD (click appropriate icons below) and I’m sure the trendy MP3 format.

    What’s also cool about this project is that the album cover pays homage to Roxy Music’s 1974 album Country Life. Younger audiences will want to shock their parents or grandparents by placing this in their collection. As for you, you are now able to find the wonders of “old school interactivity” with the album cover (nudge nudge).

    |

    SOME STUFFS: Squeeze and go from flat to fluffy because Pharoahe Monch has new album/tour

    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
    The man loves pancakes and looks forward to you rubbing on your titties. I of course am talking about the main man, Pharoahe Monch, who will be releasing a new album through Duck Down called W.A.R. (We Are Renegades). If you’re reading this at SXSW, he will be taking part at Duck Down’s 15 Year Anniversary SXSW Showcase at The Scoot Inn (1308 East 4th Street) on Friday, March 19th.

    He will be touring, and Canadians will get the first chance to see him performing these new songs. Here are the tour dates:
    April 3 Saint John, NB Evolution Nightclub
    April 4 St. John’s, NF Club One
    April 5 Halifax, NS Paragone Theatre
    April 7 Ottawa, ON Ritual Nightclub
    Aprill 8 Toronto, ON Venue TBC
    April 9 Cornwall, ON Rangatangs Nightclub
    April 10 Montreal, QC Telus Theatre
    April 12 Thunder Bay, ON Roxys Nightclub
    April 13 Winnipeg, MB Pyramid Cabaret
    April 14 Saskatoon, SK Odeon Events Centre
    April 15 Calgary, AB The Whiskey Nightclub
    April 16 Edmonton, AB Starlite Room
    April 17 Lethbridge, AB Venue TBC
    Aprl 18 Nelson, BC Spirit Bar
    April 21 Victoria, BC Element
    April 22 Vancouver, BC Venue TBC

    As for the Duck Down anniversary show, here’s the planned schedule for the show tomorrow night:
    8PM to 8:40PM – Music by DJ EVIL DEE
    8:40PM to 8:55PM – Promise
    9:05PM to 9:20 – Team Facelift
    9:30PM to 9:45PM – Marco Polo & Torae
    9:55PM to 10:10PM – Skyzoo
    10:20PM to 10:35: Blue Scholars
    10:45PM to 11:15PM: Kidz In The Hall + Special Guests
    11:25PM to 11:45PM: Pharoahe Monch
    12AM to 12:10: Ruste Juxx
    12:10 to 12:25: Smif N Wessun
    12:25 to 12:40: Sean Price with Black Milk
    12:40 to 1AM: Buckshot with special guests
    1:10AM to 1:40AM: B-Real of Cypress Hill
    2AM: Close

    The show will be hosted by Peter Rosenberg of HOT 97

    The first 50 people to enter receive a limited-edition Duck Down/UNDRCRWN SXSW T-Shirt.

    RECORD CRACK: U2 create a vinyl sunrise for an “Artificial Horizon”

    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
    As U2 fans celebrate the 30th anniversary of the band’s debut album, Boy, the group are about to release Artificial Horizon, a 3-record box set consisting of various remixes going back to 1997, and three previously unreleased mixes. Here is the full track listing:

    1. Elevation (Influx Mix)
    2. Fast Cars (Jacknife Lee Mix)
    3. Get On Your Boots (Fish Out Of Water Mix)
    4. Vertigo (Trent Reznor Remix)
    5. Magnificent (Falke Radio Mix)
    6. I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight (Live U2360 Remix)
    7. Beautiful Day (David Holmes Remix)
    8. Starting At The Sun (Monster Truck Remix)
    9. Happiness Is A Warm Gun (Danny Saber Mix)
    10. Get On Your Boots (Justice Remix)
    11. City Of Blinding Lights (Hot Chip 2006 Remix)
    12. If God Will Send His Angels (Grand Jury Mix)
    13. Starting At The Sun (Brothers in Rhythm Ambient Mix)

    The 3-record set features about 60 minutes of music (or 20 minutes average for each record), so the audio quality on this should be really nice. U2.com subscribers can obtain it for about $30, non-members can buy it for around $35. You can find out more about Artificial Horizon here.

    SOME STUFFS: The Suzan sign to Fool’s Gold, make way to SXSW

    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
    Somewhere in this photo is my dream and my nightmare. When you combine both, you sometimes get some interesting results in music. This dream/nightmare are an all-girl Japanese garage/punk band called The Suzan, who are now signed to Fool’s Gold Records. Their new album is produced by Bjorn of Peter, Bjorn & John.

    If you’re heading to this year’s SXSW, make time in your schedule to see them.

    Home” (Free MP3 download)

    RECORD CRACK: Jonas Reinhardt gets trippier with “Powers of Audition”

    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
    What moved Jonas Reinhardt to title his album Powers Of Audition (Kranky) is an interesting one: “the human capacity to audition sound and fill in blanks where the composer leaves space for interpretation.” For some, that is a great way to listen to music and/or improvise as a musician, to take it to other levels unknown.

    Powers Of Audition, his second album, continues on with his minimalist exploration of electronic music, somewhat nostalgic but very much of the now and the future. It sounds like music you’d hear on a television show you’re not sure you’re really watching because it’s 2:42am and you’re in that zone. This album, in a more alert state, will bring you to another state without you having to leave your easy chair.

    Vinyl and CD can be ordered individually from Kranky.

    SOME STUFFS / RECORD CRACK: Ras Kass receives full support from Kickstarter project

    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
    Almost a month ago, Ras Kass put up his project via Kickstarter, leading some hip-hop fans to question the need for any artist, specifically a respected MC, to put up something like this. However, I felt that what Ras Kass did was take his project to the fans, didn’t make a big request for a large amount to raise funds to produce the album, and he posted it. (One particular article looked at Public Enemy doing the same thing on another website, where they were only able to raise just under 30 percent of the goal they were seeking.)

    As you can see below, he surpassed his goal with (as I write this) 35 days to go. Statistics on Kickstarter show that he has 115 people backing him on his project, donating $6,557 towards the A.D.I.D.A.S. (All Day I Dream About Spittin’) album, either on CD or vinyl. Two individuals donated at the 1200 dollar price range.

    His intention was to reach a goal of $3,800, so the fact that he met and surpassed this goal with about a month before the deadline shows that people are willing to show support for an artist and project if it’s worth their time and money. Since the period to donate is still open, you can make a donation if you wish.

    WEBSITE OF INTEREST: Mo Betta Soul

    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
    Preach Jacobs has been creating music for a few years, touring across the U.S. and making it to Japan on a recent trip. He now has an online magazine he is developing called Mo’ Betta Soul, featuring hip-hop, soul, funk, jazz, and any of Jacobs’ personal interests (a photo essay is linked to on the front page). Browse through and enjoy.

    RECORD CRACK: NickNack willing to share his “Strangest Secret” with you

    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
    Fans of sample based artists like Kid Koala, The Avalanches, and Cut Chemist will enjoy the new 7″ single by NickNack called “Strangest Secret” b/w “Gathering Shadow”. The two songs are a hint of what appears on his forthcoming album, but Crowd Control Records are releasing it in the handy 7″ single format. You can also download the songs as 320kbps MP3’s for whatever price you want to pay, including $0.00, click here for details. If you do download it for free and like what you hear, then opt for the vinyl 45.

    The full length album, Dearly Departed, will be out sometime this spring.

    Dearly Departed Promo from NickNack on Vimeo.