Free Music Friday: The Spurty, Japanese Boat Loving, Acidy, Swedish, Circus Freaky Edition

First off, a HUGE tip 'o the hat to my foxy partner-in-crime, Megan Terrible, for doing all the heavy lifting this past week whilst i was away on business (and temporarily snowed out of DC, stuck in Salt Lake City). It was a LOOOONG week, but i'm back in the saddle now, as it were, so here we are.

The good news for you kids is that i've had a decent pile-up of tracks with which to share with you on this, the most holy of holies, some random Friday.

Otnorot Recordings has hipped us to the even hipper sounds of GuSHee. Comprised of Cheldon Paterson (production duties, knob twiddling, etc) and Vanese Smith (vox, button pushing, etc), you might recognize the sound, as we've highlighted Paterson's Pro~Ef more than once here. Think of this as Soul II Soul for the Tens.

mp3: When I Think of You...Sunshine (GuSHee from GuSHee, out March 8, 2011)

Speaking of the spoken of before, Junk Culture recently dropped another track from his latest, Summer Friends. Man behind the plan Deepak Mantena seems to be going the Baths route, utilizing a more pop-oriented sound and structure for his otherwise beat driven tunes.

mp3: Weird Teenage Vibes (Junk Culture from Summer Friends, out February 2011)

Since we seem to be on a groove, now would be a good time to mention that Emay has dropped a new EP for our listening pleasure. This kid's sound continues to evolve, and in good ways, too. Hip hop melded with more nuanced beat music. What's not to like?

mp3: Iron Pulse "Starboy" (Emay from Mind Altering Dynamics)

And now, for something completely similar. When i got an email promoting "hippie-hop," my first reaction was "i'll pass." Thankfully, the fact that the band was from Stockholm enticed me to give it a try anyway because i am addicted to Scandinavians for some unfathomable reason. What we've got is a pretty damn good combo sound that's equal parts Doors, Beck and Digable Planets.

mp3: Wonderland (Wonderland 1) (Sidewalk from the Wonderland Sessions)

mp3: Four Roses (Wonderland 2) (Sidewalk from the Wonderland Sessions)

On the opposite end of the email enticement spectrum, as soon as i saw that someone naming himself "Sleepyvillian" had sent something to me, i was immediately intrigued. i first thought it was going to be some Madvillian knock-off or the like, but the email note went on to tell me i had so, so much more on my hands. Sleepyvillian is one Portland, Oregon artist who spent the past few years traveling with Barnum & Bailey Circus as a musician. Fuck me with a lightsaber, i thought, that's audio gold right there, son. His is a sound reminiscent of an even ghostlier TV on the Radio.

mp3: Soft Shoe (Sleepyvillian from his Band Camp)

mp3: Swoon City (Sleepyvillian from his Band Camp)

And that, ladies and gents, is enough to send you on your merry way.

Live Review: Dreamend, Junk Culture and Tobacco; DC9; 9-10-10

Stop me if you've heard this one before, but, yes, Meg and i went to see the following show, too, so you will see her spin shortly. However, the lovely lass was double booked last night, so she only got to see Dreamend open. i certainly hope she had a blast at her prior engagement, as this was one of the most entertaining shows i've seen this year.

The entire night was devoted to digital manipulation, and not the masturbatory kind, either. Each of the three duos used computers, samplers and the like to create unique soundscapes that pushed the boundaries of what a "live band" is and can do. i kind of thought of it as the honky version of what i imagine a Wednesday night at the Low End Theory to be like (with all due respect to Junk Culture's Deepak Mantena).

Opener Dreamend was nothing like their CD had expected me to hear. Whereas the excellent album (quickly making its way into my top ten for 2010) is an almost dream-freak-folk-pop hybrid, on-stage is a horse of a different color. Comprised of Ryan Graveface on guitar and an unnamed drummer (d.kyler, perhaps?; i know little of BMSR), the two were the musicians of the evening. While there were certain tuning issues, the two played a strong set with a lot more speed than their CD counterparts, everything filtered through computers. Graveface mentioned twice, "Why did we play that song so fast? Odd choice." It was a moot point, however, as it was a fantastic set.

Next up was Junk Culture, comprised of the aforementioned Mr. Mantena and a second, different, unnamed drummer (c'mon, bands, take James' advice to heart and give the drummer some, for chrissakes). Let me tell you, this kid on the skins was an absolute beast. i'm still not sure how he kept such a perfect and seemingly wild beat to accompany a sampler, but i'll be damned if he didn't. Mantena was the most engaging performer of the evening, starting seemingly random conversations with the audience, stopping between songs to demand that the crowd inch closer to the stage, and literally leaping off the stage and bouncing, Tigger-like, damn near every single member of the audience until the whole house was jumping up and down with him.

With the musicians and performers out of the way, Tobacco took the stage, and the mad scientist came home to roost. Accompanied by a lovely, young lady i'm guessing was The Seven Fields of Aphelion (seriously, i've never been in a room where i thought that the players needed name tags more), the two didn't say a word for their entire set, but concocted a glitchy, spastic, fuzz-drenched set that had the entire house going ape shit.

When Tobacco and Dreamend came back to encore together, i was told it was a Black Moth Super Rainbow reunion of sorts, and while i can't really speak to that, i can say they rocked that fucking joint, yo.

i would be remiss if i didn't mention that part of what made it one of the most "entertaining" shows of the year was the fact that each band played videos in the background a la Admiral Radley. And while each was entertaining in its own right, Tobacco clearly took the prize for the evening. The only "problem" was that i was so captivated by his video show, i arguably found myself not paying enough attention to the music from time to time. It started with a clip of the Fat Boys, followed by a montage of various break dancers. Then, what i'm almost positive was Shô Kosugi from either "Revenge of the Ninja" or possibly "Ninja III: The Domination." When i thought i couldn't take any more 80s goodness, Tobacco somehow found a boatload of what originally appeared to be 80s aerobics videos. However, i knew those faces were too familiar, and it quickly proved itself to be glorious porn which he montaged into short clips of facial expressions only. And yet, nothing could prepare me for what concluded the evening.

Now, i thought "Edward Penis Hands" was the strangest pr0n ever made, but Tobacco proved me wrong, unearthing an E.T. fuck flick.

Let me repeat that--he found and played a porno where the female lead was dressed up in a full E.T. costume, with only her mouth and one nipple showing.

While his music is amazing, it is this feat that has me tipping my hat to the artist. Well done, sir. Well done, indeed.

Tobacco may be bad for your lungs, but goddamn, it's good for your soul.

mp3: Where You Belong (Dreamend from So I Ate Myself, Bite by Bite)

mp3: West Coast (Junk Culture from West Coast)

mp3: Heavy Makeup (Tobacco from Manic Meat)

Free Music Friday: The Junkie, Rented, BRRRR, Ravey, Percussiony, Cartoony, Shoed, Toyed, Napkiny Edition

Ah yes, another Free Music Friday, which differs from every other free music day at LET in ways that are hard to explain, but they're there. Or i simply couldn't come up with a better intro paragraph today, so this is what you get. The price is right, so deal.

Tobacco's Maniac Meat is quickly becoming one of my favorites CDs of 2010. His chopped up style of electro/sampling just does something for me. Which is probably why i'm really digging Junk Culture, a new project by Deepak Mantena with his younger brother, Nitin, on skins for live performances . i'm obviously not the only one who hears the similarities, as JC will be joining Tobacco and Dreamend (whose So I Ate Myself, Bite by Bite, is another fave CD this year) on their tour this September. Unfortunately, i missed their headlining spot at IOTA just the other night, but i've already got my tickets to their DC9 gig on September 9. i recommend you do the same.

mp3: West Coast (Junk Culture from West Coast)

For those familiar with the Rentals, you're obviously familiar with last year's Songs About Time Project. For the rest of us, the band decided to create three-hundred and sixty-five days of photography, fifty-two weeks of film, and four albums of music. Initially, very little was released, but the Rentals have come back with a vengeance with a new boxed set, appropriately entitled Songs About Time, that gives us gems like this dream-pop number.

mp3: Honey Life (left click to download) (The Rentals from Songs About Time Chapter Three The Future)

While white guy piano rap may or may not be the next big thing, Chilly Gonzales finds a way to make it work. Sure, his cadence is a bit stilted, but i think that's supposed to be part of the charm. Regardless, the man definitely has a way with his rhymes, which is saying more than you can for half the shit getting pushed these days. Which is nice.

mp3: Never Stop (Rap Mix) (left click to download) (Chilly Gonzales from Never Stop)

LET stalwarts The Raveonettes dip their toes into the remix pool with their spin on The Drum's "Let's Go Surfing." Remix may not be the best description, on further thought, as it really sounds more like the Ravenonettes simply playing over the record itself. The end result, i think you'll agree, speaks for itself on this fuzzed-out, surf-rock number.

mp3: Let's Go Surfing (The Raveonettes Remix) (left click to download) (The Drums from Let's Go Surfing)

Digital Underground alum Money B. has a new project, M.A.S.K. While i assume it stands for Money (B.) And Scott Knoxx, i'd like to think it's also an homage to the Mobile Armored Strike Kommand. While it appears an album still is in the works, both cats show they're still at top form on these two head nodders.

mp3: Lemme See U (Dirty Version) (M.A.S.K. from TBD CD)

mp3: Gettin' It In (Dirty Version) (M.A.S.K. from TBD CD)

For the summer of 2010, i've pretty much crowned Best Coast as your best bet, go to band for appropriate soundtracking. The folks at Converse Shoes, of all places, must have agreed. Check out this team-up between them, Kid Cudi and Rostam Batmanglij of Vampire Weekend. (Quick note to Cudi--dude, no need to be lonely. i'll smoke with you any time you want.) While it's a bit much to declare this THE song of summer 2010, it certainly should make the playlist.

mp3: All Summer (Best Coast, Kid Cudi and Rostam Batmanglij of Vampire Weekend from Converse)

At long, long last, it appears Autolux FINALLY is going to release the hotly anticipated (at least by me) follow-up to their freaking phenomenal debut, Future Perfect. Transit Transit is expected to drop this August 3rd. The band trotted out a few numbers their last time in town at the Black Cat, and i, for one, cannot wait to hear the entire thing on wax. If this single is any indication, expect more of that spacey, fuzzed out alt-rock goodness. Do the smart thing and see them when they return to the Black Cat on September 1st. If nothing else, it's another opportunity for you to not introduce yourself at yet another concert i've plainly told you i'll be attending myself.

mp3: Supertoys (Autolux from Transit Transit)

And to close out this edition of Free Music Friday, Black Lips are back with their own style of blues-infused rock. Whereas some might go the purist route, the Lips sound like they'd be more comfortable taking it out behind a shed, getting it shitfaced on corn liquor and high on mushrooms before taking advantage of it. Whether or not the Blues was asking for it is a question i shall not even attempt to answer. Check out this one and decide for yourself.

mp3: Best Napkin I Ever Had (left click to download) (Black Lips from Scion A/V Garage: Black Lips / Pierced Arrows)