Wow, it’s been a long while internet. Is that a new haircut? What ever happened with that one thing? Are you all caught up on the BBC version of Sherlock?

After going this long without posting, it is difficult to get back into the swing of it. Austin has been in a weird state the whole year due to the loss of a dear friend to the music scene. It has been amazing to see the internet be used for good in the wake of her murder. The internet has been a great tool for memory sharing and for fund collecting. It’s been the first time I’ve relied on it so much as a device in this particular way. The ability to view so many acquaintances’ and stranger’s flickrstreams tagged with Esme, the outpouring of Spotify playlist transcriptions of mixtapes she made, and Facebook used as a place for mourning rather than for a survey results of which Game of Thrones character you most resemble; all of these things have made the blow something that many of us have been able to deal with together on the information superhighway. Thanks internet. It’s been a weird year so far. But it’s getting better.

So many more articulate and talented people that I have written memorials, set up webpages, recorded songs, and shared stories to help make sense of what happened, to celebrate her life, and somewhere in the there, hopefully help find a sliver of a lead to aid APD do whatever it is that they are doing about this.

I’ve written and deleted several versions of this post and ultimately felt the need to publish something before I get back to posting new local bands that I like or a rap music videos about cats. Esme seized the day and had the best possible attitude about life. I’m going to try to honor that as best I can. You should too.

Although Esme was a fellow die-hard Wayne’s World fan, the message I want to put out there now is from a different pair of rock music obsessed cinematic budz. “Be excellent to each other.” Look out for each other. Happy 2012. Party on dudes.

At last there is a complete definite version of the Beach Boys’ lost magnum opus SMiLE out just in time for the holiday season. But the fact is – all the Beach Boys super fans have already had their own version of this culled from sweet bootlegs for decades. There is a whole underground railroad of Beach Boys boys and girls that although have assembled their own track sequences and equalizations, will still buy the deluxe edition because BB fans have the “bread” for it. And you know: “black Friday”, “America” and all that jazz.

The Beach Boys are one of my favorite bands and have contributed some of my favorite elements to the current state of indie music and music in general. Really. That being said, I’m not interested in more material from them at this point. I am not impressed by outtakes where Brian Wilson trips into a mic stand or whatever. Like most complete box editions- it seems like pandering and a borderline pathetic attempt to make more money off loyal fans. Let’s focus on where their legacy is now with the sound of young Americans. Let’s focus on the relatively new Austin cosmic surf-rock band Tiger Waves. The group appropriately enough opened for Elephant 6 legends Olivia Tremor Control back in August and since then I’ve been sold on the group hook line and sinker. The two main bros behind the group are Reid Comstock and James Marshall and along with their group of merry men they are making some of the most interesting music out of Austin right now. They have silver-surfed past the download limit on their Soundcloud page which is a radical sign that the good people of the internet have take n notice of the radness that is Tiger Waves. Won’t you let this good band into your heart?

Jingling sleigh bells! Walls of sound! Endless summer fun in the sun when we need it most… the winter! Long live Tiger Waves!

Listen to all the golden neo-oldies on band camp HERE.

MP3: Tiger Waves- Fireworks

(Photo: Miss Speed Flash of 1945)

Seems like only yesterday that the Fun Fun Fun Fest lineup leaked and the universe’s jaws dropped and mindgrapes exploded at the glory of it. The scene was not unlike the end of Dogma … but picture Alanis Morissette with a gnarly beard. Now the time is approaching where the attendees of FFFF get to take Auditorium Shores out for a joyride of epicness. Not to mention the coolness that is FFFF NITES which is basically even more shows for FREE with a festival wristband. Music overload kicks off this weekend!  Okkervil River, Spank Rock , Big Freedia, Tune-Yards, Dan Deacon, Diplo, Bird Peterson, that comedian with the big hair and MORE will be carving Slayer in the collective wrists of all in attendance. Yes, tickets are still available and yes, it will be the best part of your November and possibly your year.  SNAG TICKETS NOW.

(Image credit- RCA ad from 1955)

Astronautalis will be rolling back thru Austin for the first time since SXSW when he graced us with the Texas debut of the full band incarnation at the PartyEnds dayshow and it is going to be a beautiful thing. Back at the familiar rambling grounds of the Mohawk, Astronautalis will be playing material off his STELLER new album This is Our Science, a record full of young lust and encyclopedic 5 dollar words all passionately stuffed down an ironically inked up Tom Waits throat . Read my take on it HERE. The record, put out by independent pusher of great indie hip hop everywhere Fake Four, is packed to the brim with the grimy blood, nitroglycerine sweat and tears for fears and features guest appearances by Tegan Quin (Tegan & Sara), Radical Face, Mike Weibe from the Riverboat Gambelrs and members of Midlake. But wait there’s more! P.O.S, Alias, Sean Kirkpatrick from Nervous Curtains/ Paper Chase, Doometree’s Lazerbeak and even the dude behind Wugazi. This is Our Science is an achievement in recorded sound and an achievement in life. And to think- the tour is stopping here in Austin on Thursday night and you can see it with your own two eyeholes! Tickets to the Mohawk.

Peep the rest of the tour dates and if you can – follow him across the country and get a trouble hunters tattoo.

Oct 20 The Mohawk Austin, TX

Oct 21 Rubbergloves Rehearsal Denton, TX

Oct 22 Fitzgerald’s Houston, TX

Oct 24 Masquerade Atlanta, GA

Oct 25 Handlebar Pensacola, FL

Oct 26 1982 Bar Gainesville, FL

Oct 27 Jack Rabbits Jacksonville, FL

Oct 28 Club Firestone Orlando, FL

Oct 29 Swarm 666 @ Squegee Science Fort Lauderdale, FL

Oct 31 King’s Raleigh, NC

Nov 01 Milestone Club Charlotte, NC

Nov 02 Spazz Haus Greenville, NC

Nov 03 DC9 Washington, DC

Nov 04 Santos Party House New York, NY

Nov 05 The Fire Philadelphia, PA

Nov 06 Obrien’s Pub Allston, MA

#DancehallHornSounds

International rap super group Triune Gods’ first video from their debut album Seven Days Six Nights is for the song Same Train which has heart, soul and makes great use of Tilt-Shift photography. Director Naoto Amazutsumi shows off beautiful Japanese landscapes and railways and ultimately creates a relaxing near 7 min video that make you stop and smell the cross-cultural rap roses.

Triune Gods is a collaboration between Sibitt from Japan, Bleubird from anytownUSA and producer Scott Da Ros from Canada. My admittedly ignorant Texan ears hasn’t listened to a ton of underground Japanese hip hop but I was immediately struck with Sibett’s delivery and it’s pleasant juxtaposition to Bleubird’s verbal gymnastics, that leave the listener wondering where he sneaks in breaths. I can only imagine what non-English speakers think of his verse. They problably think he is one of the best MCs in the land of the free and home of the brave. They might be right. The universal connection that really helps carry the track all the way to world peace is from Da Ros who’s score is captivating the entire 6+min song. With two very different lyricists and one striking video, Triune Gods are a super-interesting project. Relax for a few minutes and check it out:

Triune Gods – Same Train [official] from Triune Gods on Vimeo.

Their debut album Seven Days Six Nights is out now on Japan based Granma Music Entertainment I’m not entirely sure how to order the CD in America but you can snag it on iTunes HERE

Upcoming tour dates

November 19: Tokyo, Japan at Kaikoo Popwave Festival
November 22: Shibuya, Japan at Club Asia
November 23: Nagano, Japan at Porky
November 26: Kobe, Japan at Taiyo to Tora
November 27: Osaka, Japan at Clapper

The best part about ACL weekend is that there is a alternative festival with interesting bands playing it called Ditch the Fest! Taking place in clubs all over downtown (with no mud to slosh in or $9 beers to buy) Ditch the Fest is the best $5 you can possibly spend. And get this: proceeds go to aid the wildfire relief efforts for Bastrop- how cool is that?

12 hours, 5 venues, over 75 acts, 1 moonbounce, kegs and kegs of free Shiner Bock, and enough puppets to ALMOST be annoying (but not quite…)

Check out the full line up HERE to map out when you’re going to see such great acts as La Snacks, the Sour Notes, Blue Kabuki, She Sir, Leatherbag, Butcher Bear and more.

The act I am most excited about performing is a solo set from John Congleton who also performs with the Paper Chase and the Nighty Nite. Seeing and hearing his twisted, lurid songs stripped down on an acoustic guitar is going to be an experience to behold. This is a real treat for the body, mind and soul. Believe. Long live Ditch the Fest.

Tim Kasher with a full band tonight at the Mohawk is going to keep the fine bartenders busy. With the catalogs of The Good Life, Cursive and even last year’s solo record the Game of Monogamy to draw from the show’s set list is sure to have the crowd enthralled and buying shot after shot of whiskey to set at the Omaha icon’s feet. Some songs will be fragile and intimate; others will damage throats with gaspy screams- they all will be full of self loathing and regrets about past relationships. As a songwriter, Kasher’s use of metaphor on top of metaphor paired with genuine emotional remorse has made for some of the most compelling songs to come out of the Saddle Creek label. A drunken story teller- not always placing emphasis on conventional songwriting standards such as “rhyming” – Kasher is able to explore the part of the night when the dive bars are kicking you out but not making you go home, exploring states’ tricky liquor laws, and much like the Hold Steady’s Craig Finn finds magic in the small things.

Needless to say, I am eager to see what the set list will be, but with all the amazing material to draw from it’s is going to be hard to disappoint Kasher fans. Oh- and the show is on the INSIDE stage so get there early. Get advance tickets HERE.

UPDATE: There is a new TOUR-ONLY EP called Bigamy that he’ll be performing songs from as well.

MP3: Tim Kasher- Monogamy

Remember when whole albums were great and not just radio singles and ringtones? Remember when albums had heart, soul, tattoos and fantastical covers that featured the performer in a ballsy ensemble? Well, the new and most autobiographical Astronautalis record This Is Our Science is already a classic in my household. The record is bubbling with controlled dissonance and linked-arm crowd anthems of life thanks to the spidery hands of producer John Congleton (who also helmed 2008’s epic Pomegranate) each song has Astro belting out his personal scriptures as silvery and eerie singalong songs.

When Pomegranate dropped, it was evident that Astro’s game had changed. Moving on to the next record he’s even more secure in the scenery of his own unique vibe of haunting minor chords and a weathered, gruff, speedy-controlled delivery. The sound is transfixing. The lyrics are an onslaught of blunt objects being shoved thru the western cannon of literature and they all sit atop post punk guitars, washed out synthesizers are sometimes are even joined in by supporting vocals from Riverboat Gambler Mike Weibe, Doomtree’s Sims, POS and even Teagan…. Or maybe it’s Sarah.

Pomegranate is remarkable in its wordplay and it’s symbolism and This Is Our Science elevates the bar even more. In the verses you can learn about creepy relationship infatuations, exhaustive touring camaraderie, and something beyond storytelling- it’s more sagatelling.

This Is Our Science is an overdue and indispensable confirmation of Astro’s impending and powerful vision; a vision of young lovers kissing behind vending machines and of abstract American gothic history. Upon listening, brows will furrow and teeth will grit. No matter your age, or your past experience with the music of Astronautalis you can pick up this record and be at home because you are a smart person. This Is Our Science captures the thinking man’s excitement. It name checks Joni Mitchell. It makes you get out the dictionary. Its lead single is about the creator of the periodic table. That’s smarts.

Had enough of forgettable albums? Pick up This Is Our Science on September 13th. Preorder it HERE and get a whole slew of trill extras!

MP3: Astronautalis-Dimitri Mendeleev

Big Freedia is becoming less and less for those ‘in the know’ as she continues to spiral out of the sisybounnce New Orleans scene into more and more international exposure. Big Freed and the Shake Team have made the 8 hour drive from NOLA to Austin several times in the past year since I first saw her at the last Fun Fun Fun Fest and have played sold out shows and festivals every time and each one has been the most fun since the last show. The idea of equating shaking ass to playing the blues is an epic one. Taking the simplest thing and giving it soul, heart and claiming it as a cultural and regional genre and thus transforming it into a movement has been done before in Nawlins with the blues, and now it is happening again with Bounce.

On a hot, sweaty Texas Sunday in June Big Freedia boarded a craft on Lake Travis and after much Dos XX flowed freely took to the top deck of the boat and played and unbelievable set to an intimate crowd of Red River regulars. Weeks later, the smile on my face is JUST NOW starting to recede. It is hard to explain it is but luckily there was a photographer from URB on deck who’s fisheye shots are exponentially better than the ones from my camera phone. The day was damn near mind-blowing. The city of Austin has Transmission Entertainment to thank for being such an advocate of what Big Freedia is all about. Hipsters with their arms crossed on the sides get left in the dust at a Freedia show. Oh, but if you have the right attitude, you get what you deserve : a super fun time and a boat that bounced back and forth and hurls shoes starboard. These pictures come close to doing the day justice.

Catch Big Freedia back in Austin at this year’s Fun Fun Fun Fest and download a free EP compliments of SCION HERE :

A stellar showman is coming to town. Producer extraordinaire, and futuristic dance master Wallpaper. will be in Austin Saturday night (August 6th) at the Beauty Bar and will have plenty of hawt tracks in tow. Wallpaper. was kind enough to play our Streets Ahead dayparty that took place over the week of sxsw and left quite the impression on the kind Highball staff and plenty of admirers. I’ve had the pleasure to see Wallpaper. twice before but with the surge of buzz riding his new #STUPiDFACEDD EP release- I have a feeling that this go around will ultimately result in dancing in the streets. I plan to pick up the full EP at the show not only be the track record is batting 1000 right now but also because one track is supposed to have Too Short on it!

Wallpaper. is prone to a rotating lineup of members with front man Ricky Reed as the constant. Sometimes there are multiple percussionists, sometimes there are fly girls, sometimes super soakers full of Four Loko but no matter what Ricky is front and center stepping side to side with swag that would make Weezy blush.

Wallpaper shows are beyond fun- they go big like a T Rex, and as of Wednesday night Beauty Bar has a tasty keg of Live Oak Roggenbier on draft, so that’s a pretty hard to beat Saturday night plan of attack.

Check out the tongue in cheek, eerie dorm party video for #STUPiDFACEDD and we’ll see you on Saturday.

When I first saw Spank Rock do his rap thing he was opening up for MIA on her 2005 Arular tour, which was a pretty damn big deal.  He is now rocking stadiums opening up for that  skeezy pop star that everyone says looks like that sweathog, which is a much bigger deal.  The beautiful thing about this success is that there isn’t an ounce of selling out.  The new album title is unapologetically arty while retaining the trademark dirty edge.  There is a curse word in the title of the record for crying out loud.  The record- which is being put out on a label he owns called Bad Blood is called Everything Is Boring and Everyone Is a Fucking Liar comes out September 27.  That is not selling out.  This is playing the game right.

After his work at the Cedar Park Center last night he hopped down to the Beauty Bar, a familiar venue in downtown Austin where his old buddies Win Win were DJing and grabbed a mic and performed a 30 or so minute set.  There weren’t more than 60 people there making it incredibly intimate especially considering the hockey stadium that he had played hours before.  Here he was having fun paling around with Best Fwends and shaking it with our beautiful Texas ladies.  It was a killer time.  Spank Rock although exploring new, more sinister boundaries with the music beyond vulgarity and hyphy, still knows how to be a tried and true MC. (“Ugly people, be quiet!”)  Not that you should be surprised or anything, but Spank Rock after a few years of laying low still has it in a big way.

His new music video for DTF DADT has been causing some good internet waves because it’s sophisticated (read: black and white) and probably full of symbolism (what does he mean by that opening hand gesture I wonder?) but damn- if there also isn’t some super-fun mixed in with that dissonant production.  This track will be showing up on many a DJ mix in the next year and of course will also be played at this year’s FUN FUN FUN FEST!!

I think I’ve found my new haircut.

In addition to listening to the new Sole, Astronautalis, and Battles records on repeat I have been bumping one of the best summer mixes of the year from Prince Klassen. An Austin ex-pat who has been riding underground monorails and eating bagels in New York for the last little bit. When he’s not hailing taxi cabs or (insert another NY cliché) he’s rubbing his hands all over his Technics making edits and mixes that go just as good in Serato bins as they do the casual music listeners iPod.

He’s been making mixes that capture the mood of Fall for a few years now and he’s parlayed his affinity for seasonal mixes into the scorching hot summer. Summer by the way in Texas has meant no rain for 3 months and temperatures in the high 100s. This mix has plenty of funky instrumentals that evoke New York as it was in 70’s getaway movies which create a great distraction to the current day melting sidewalks. Representing Spanish Harlem from the 60s all the way up to hipster Williamsburg present day, this mix is a perfect way to stay cool listen after listen in the dirty (blistering) south, in the 5 boroughs, or anywhere. No fancy scratches or Kaoss Pads in effect here, just a super-solid playlist full of straight jams. Believe.

MP3: Prince Klassen- NY Is Red Hot/ Summer Bummer Mixtape

Prince Klassen does the twitter thing HERE and represents the Fully Fitted crew.

::TRACKLIST::

Joe Bataan – Subway Joe

Vivien Goldman – Launderette

Louie Rankin – Typewriter

Beastie Boys – Ricky’s Theme

Ocote Soul Sounds – La Reja

Ronnie Foster – Mystic Brew

Pharoah Sanders – Thembi

Nuyorican Soul – The Nervous Track

The Death Set – Around The World

In Flagranti – Prelude To Chaos

BS 2000 – Flawson in Lawson

Suicide – Dream Baby Dream

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(PHOTO CREDIT: 1969 Devil’s Disciple ice skaters)

The new Mountain Goats video is a pretty perfect visualization of the All Eternals Deck song Estate Sale Sign. The creative interpretation of monsters and animal-like creatures in perpetual motion descending off crazy ledges, deep treacherous seas etc has a surprisingly humanistic edge to it. Put another notch on the belt for yet another awesome Mountain Goats video.  How about those music videos for an art form- amiright? The animated imagery here is a beauty. The video was made by the brilliantly named Awesome and Modest.   The video is living HERE.  Embedding seems to be disabled otherwise… you know… I would be able to show the video right here on this very webpage.

The Mountain Goats are on tour now with Bright Eyes and will be making a stop at this year’s Lollapolloza in Chicago early August.

Pick up the fantastic All Eternals Deck at your local record slinger or on the internet HERE.

The long-awaited Sole and Skyrider Band full length record Hello Cruel World came out yesterday and the internet is still wrapping it’s proverbial head around the who’s who of guest appearances on it. Xiu Xiu, Pictureplane, Isaiah Toothtaker, Sage Francis and the Base God himself- Lil B all drop in and out of the record making it the biggest Fake Four releases yet. A true feat for the little weirdo DIY rap label that could.

Sole has been prolific in recent years with mixtapes but his first full length since his departure from Anticon is truly noteworthy. This release marks the continued collaboration with the Skyrider Band. Hello Cruel World is consistently impressive and is the next chapter in my favorite  stretch of Sole’s work yet.  Between the lyrics and the instrumentation, this is straight up fantastic.

RCD LBL has a remix of one of the tracks from Yoni Wolf of WHY? as well as Alias. Get it from their site for FREE HERE.

Here is the lead track from the record featuring the haunting, colloquial vocals you’ve come to know and love from Xiu Xiu and plenty of insight into the indie rap rat race, middle school assigned readings and just a hint of politics.

MP3: Sole & Skyrider Band- Napolean (w/ Xiu Xiu)

The compact disk and digital download is out now on Fake Four and the vinyl comes out Augst 2nd.  Get it all.

Want more FREE tunes?  Snag the Death Panel Nuclear Winter #2 mixtape for FREE HERE.  That will get you hooked on the indie rap godfather.

Upcoming tour dates:

Tue | 8-09-2011 Santa Fe, NM TBA

Wed | 08-10-2011 Phoenix AZ TBA

Thu | 08-11-2011 Flagstaff AZ The Green Room

Fri | 08-12-2011 Los Angeles CA The Roxy Theatre

Sun | 08-14-2011 San Francisco CA Bottom Of The Hill

Mon | 08-15-2011 Reno NV Tonic Lounge

Tue | 08-16-2011 Sacramento CA Sol Collective

Wed | 08-17-2011 Portland OR Doug Fir Lounge

Thu | 08-18-2011 Seattle WA Nectar Lounge

Tue | 08-23-2011 Missoula MT The Badlander

Thu | 08-25-2011 Salt Lake City UT Kilby Court

Sat | 08-27-2011 Colorado Springs CO Black Sheep

(Image of Roxanne Arlen in the 1950s.)

I was in Austin in my early 20s and the band that is no longer around that defined that time is CANOE.

In 2003, I was first handed a CD-R of the band and told that they packed a Pinkerton punch- there was distorted sounding guitar and vocals. I liked it . The music is full of an interesting hipster machismo and non-sequiturs, some of which were about the companionship of corndogs. The music was a party. The same CDR had some mediocre Spoon record on it that I still can’t get all the way thru. So there you have it – Canoe is better than Spoon. The same friend who handed me the CD also was working on a music video for the band, which I ended up on the set for helping shoot on the 20-30 cameras that present. The SUPER!ALRIGHT! video for Come On was their first and remains one of the best.

Time went on and I feel like I saw the band almost every weekend for a while. The CD was a party, but was nothing like seeing the three band members sweat and spill Lonestar all over the stage/crowd. Matt & Kim eventually copped Canoe’s style, ditched the guitar, cleaned it up for the MTV and are now making a pretty amazing living out of it. But Canoe is the real deal. This isn’t pop. This is sexually-frustrated silly, young man. This is a slice of 2003 Austin, TX.

Canoe grew out of playing shows at Beerland. One member moved to Dallas and things were put on a hiatus. This was end of the gathering with other Canoe fans and screaming the refrain from Girlfriend with arms over shoulders. The end of doing that one awesome handclap in Come on! The analog organ, the dancepunk-before-dancepunk drums and the steady, sleazy guitar ; these things all made up one of the greatest garage party bands that Austin has ever known. And they are playing a super-ultra rare reunion show Friday night at the Mohawk. Tickets are 8 bucks and promise to be worth every nostalgic penny. Join Justin, Joe and Zach as Canoe once again in what will no doubt be an epic evening. And who knows- maybe this will be the beginning of a new era of Canoe. Also playing on the outside stage : The Eastern Sea, the Ovenbirds & Francisco the Man. On the inside stage: Ghost Wolves, Royal Forest and Lean Hounds. ALL FOR ONE LOW PRICE! Tickets HERE.

MP3: Canoe- Corndogs Are Our Friends

I’ve been pretty into a newish Austin three piece band lately called Dudes Die. Especially, their forthcoming album dubbed  Internet Party.

Fuzzy organs, garage rock guitar, and Animal Collective drone vocals. The songs are pop- based but clearly have designs on introspection and neo-psychedelia.

The ambitious music is ready to be played at your next back yard drinking function.

Listen to the whole album streaming HERE and keep an eye out for it to be a physical release later this summer..

Oh, also- “Dudes Die” is a great band name.

MP3: Dudes Die- We Will Never Have This Night Again

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In other news- If you love the absurdity of the Adult Swim show Children’s Hospital (as you should) you need to be following the Attention Staff twitter feed that was name checked over the credits of season 3 episode one.  It’s just like Micheal Cera is talking to you over a PA speaker!

The ultra-goofballs of White Denim with back with their tongue in their check with a VHS-happy video of pure analog cheese. The boys are on an amazing music video streak. Kudos to Birds on Fire on the production of topnotch irony and to White Denim on the silliness.  The new record D is out now.

We’ve talked a few times about the stellar new offering from our lone-start cousin Fishboy lately; the new record, Classic Creeps is now out and about and pretty dang amazing. Aside from the initial draw of the catchy, nasal tune-smithing and trademark bounce that we’ve come to know and love, CC has an interconnective depth that only begins to reveal itself as you dig deeper into the tracks. A lot of love went into this project, into each note and each custom 12″, and it shines through. I would highly suggest it.

In celebration of such a thing, I invite all of our Austin readers to join in Monday night, the 6th, at the Mohawk for Fishboy and, of all things strange and wonderful, Harry and the Potters, for what I’m sure will be a weird all ages good time ( that will not, I repeat, prevent me from drinking- most likely in excess. Quite the opposite, in fact )!

In furtherance of this celebration, feast your eyes on what can only be described as a ‘thoroughly entertaining’ new video for the Fishboy track, Alyson Revere, which premiered just recently. Not only a treat for dance and animal lovers alike, it’s appeal reaches as far as your average Celine Dion fan. But really, how can any one be separated from the other?

TUnE-yArDs‘ w h o k i l l album has been a mainstay for the past month and it is high time it gets a PartyEnds “shout” “out.” I shied away from it at first because I thought the name and the silly capitalization was too much of a turnoff. I had also heard a bunch of hype at SXSW and I’ve trained myself to just assume that any hype of that proportion is orchestrated by the “man.” I have changed the error of my funky-punctuated-band-hating ways. I will scream from the rooftops how great this is and how regretful I am for not having proclaimed it sooner.

w h o k i l l is the sophomore album by songstress Merrill Garbus and is beyond solid. Homegirl is tripped out, loopy and octave-jumping awesomeness. It is Bobby Mcferrin played thru a Dirty Projector. Building percussion and sampling riffs thru what must be 60 different pedals, each song is a complex and ambitious sonic blast. Is this art-rock? As the audience member stated in the infamous Simpsons Hullabalooza episode “I don’t even know any more.”

Despite the modern technology at play in this record, there is a vast sense of organic instrumentation. The attributes of why this is worth a damn are all over the place…. Above all is it FUN. There will be dancefloor remixes of some of these songs (if there’s not already) and there will also be mediocre coffee shop acoustic guitar versions across the land. None will be as good as the real deal Holyfield.

I love this record. I’ve got the MP3s and very much would like to pick it up on vinyl! I do still sort of wish that it was just normal sentence case tho. Check out this ultra-fun video for the song Bizness.

Never trust a girl scout. There has been a trend of videos with people fighting in them lately… (Matt & Kim, Black Keys etc) and now this one.  What does this trend say about the current state of affiars in this great nation of ours?  Meh.  I’m not going to write an American Studies thesis on it just yet- let us just listen to a cool rap song and watch some mayhem.

Get Housed Homeboy (Isaiah Toothtaker ft. Murs) from Nicolas Heller on Vimeo.

Not only is the fighting here rawer, but the song here is fantastic. I’m willing to bet that is real broken glass- not that sugar stuff that is a luxury of higher budget productions. And you KNOW those cookies are the real deal. Homie with face tattoos that would make that boxer from the Hangover movies weep Isaiah Toothtaker has teamed up with Living Legend MURS and producer Briefcase for the video for Get Housed Homeboy off the new record ILLUMINATI THUG MAFIA which just so happens to be available on itunes HERE.

The video is directed by Nicolas Heller, who has worked with Max B, Boot Camp Click, R.A. the Rugged Man, C-Rayz Walz, Copywrite, Das Racist & countless others. I can’t emphasis this enough yall- never trust a girl scout.