Recently, Pitchfork listed their top fifty music videos of the nineties. Radiohead's video for "Just" not being in the top ten really bothered me, but not as much as the complete absence of The Avalanches "Frontier Psychiatrist" on the list. I mean, this video is pure unadulterated bananas; one of the funnest, most retarded music videos ever released, ever, EVER. The costumes, the senior citizens, the animals, the full orchestra, what's not to like? Besides the video, the song is pretty awesome too, incorporating hip hop with a full orchestra/swing feel, heavy on samples and random voices that really don't have anything to do with anything. In addition to the randomness of the lyrics, there are sounds of birds, horses, heck even a mariachi band. The avant-garde Australian DJs have only released one album back in 2001, two years after "Frontier Psychiatrist" was released. There is speculation of a second album to come out sometime soon; it has been confirmed that Ariel Pink is doing most of the vocals. Random.
Download The Avalanches - Frontier Psychiatrist
The Avalanches - Avalanches - Frontier Psychiatrist .mp3
In a world where covering a Marvin Gaye song is all the norm, it's surprising that there aren't really any covers or samples of this song. "Got To Give It Up" is one the funkiest, most laid back tunes of the 70's; like most of Gaye's music, it's groovy, sultry and heavy on the references to "gettin it on." If you've ever watched Menace To Society, you'll notice it playing in the background during the scene where Kane's father, played by none other than Samuel L Jackson, a cameo role really, shoots his friend at the poker table after a confrontation. So appropriate. "Got To Give It Up" is really a forgotten gem when it comes to Gaye's music; unlike "Sexual Healing", "Heard It Through The Grapevine" or "Let's Get It On," it's got more of a baseline to it, an accelerated brand of soul music that Gaye was great at, but has become forgotten amongst all the classics. And while his classics are undoubtedly heroic, this track makes you bump and groove to a heightened degree, perfectly suitable for the dancefloor or for the next time you get stoned. Either way, It's time we bring this joint back to life.
It thoroughly bothers me when you're in a bar or club and they keep playing the same shitty rap music. Than finally they play a Pac song, and it's fuckin "California Love," "Hit Em Up," or "Changes." REALLY?!?!?!? If Pac was great at anything, it was being a lyrical genius; ergo, from the thirteen albums containing his music, there are obviously more club bangers and provocative songs than the above mentioned overplayed three. Being a firm Pac enthusiast, as I believe all enthusiasts of hip hop should be, I can think of dozens of club friendly Pac songs, and even more pertaining to his eventual demise. Off one of my favourite Pac records, "Thug Life" recorded with his posse, The Outlawz, consists of endearing moments and ruthless lyrics alike. "Str8 Ballin" is a prime example. "They say how do you survive weighing one sixty five in a city where the skinny ni**az die?" Or "And ni**az laughed till the first motherfucker got blasted/I put the ni**a in his casket now they covering the bastard in plastic/I smoke blunts on the regular fuck when it counts/I'm trying to make a million dollars outta quarter ounce." Find me a rapper today who is that real, who says what's happening in society without trying to gain something from it, who isn't afraid of showing his insecurities, weaknesses and feelings. What separates 2pac from the majority of rappers out there, especially the repetitive mainstream delinquents, is that 2pac was a poet; a conflicted, troubled individual who cherished the notion of poetry and therefore did hold back as a lyricist. His goals were to gain respect for women, to stop racism and empower the black community with equal rights, and though he himself was "Thug Life," to perpetuate the end of it. Like Van Gogh or Kurt Cobain, the world watched as he became more disturbed; we watched and we knew because he always shared the truth with us, as fowl as it might have been. Though it might have cost him his life, he always stayed true to being an artist and everything that entailed. Probably the most influential rapper ever, and well deserved. R.I.P.
"Pumped Up Kicks" is this summer's most unknown precious gem. All ready labelled as the MGMT of 2010 by indieheads alike, Mark Foster's Los Angeles based Foster The People has received a really positive response from the one song they have released so far. "Pumped Up Kicks" is pure pop magic, insanely catchy, with a chorus that's easy to sing along to. There's a groovy baseline, heavy reverb on Foster's sweet sounding vocals, and a dreamy ambience produced by the faint use of synths in the background. It's positive and bright demeanour is reason enough to put this on repeat for the next few days. It's definitely one of those songs that gets stuck in your head from first listen. There's even some whistling reminiscent of PB&J towards the end. The single is set to come out on 12" in two weeks, though there is no speculation in regards to when an LP is set to drop. One can only hope it will be as intriguing.
Along with Dom and Wild Nothing, husband and wife duo Patrick Riley and Alaina Moore a.k.a. Tennis is my new favourite act of 2010. They have released four songs thus far, three of which on their recently released "Baltimore" EP, the other on their first single, "South Carolina." All four are fuckin awesome. Tennis is a sunnier brand of surf rock evocative of Beach Boys. The vocals are sweet and subtle rather adhering to the recent fad of heavy distortion, the melodies are fuzzy yet clean, the guitars as rad as Best Coast or Wavves. What separates first single, "South Carolina," from stuff like Best Coast or Wavves, though, is Alaina Moore's soft and formal style of singing. "South Carolina" is compelling for many reasons; the fact that Moore doesn't get overly excited whilst singing, similar to how the drumming and guitars maintain a certain pace throughout, establishes a revitalizing degree of nonchalantness in this song. The backup vocals also sang by Moore contradict the prominent vocals in tone and melody creating a wonderful layered effect. The duo spent eight months sailing across the States, starting at the East Coast, and travelled across Baltimore, Cape Dory, and South Carolina, which coincidentally happen to be the names of three of their four songs. Twas obviously an inspirational trip for them, probably due to the fact that they had never sailed or even taken lessons before. In an era where garage/lo-fi/surf rock has become rackety and aggressive, Tennis are making lovely harmonious tunes that soar.
Find me a rapper today who is that real, who says what's happening in society without trying to gain something from it, who isn't afraid of showing his insecurities, weaknesses and feelings. What separates 2pac from the majority of rappers out there, especially the repetitive mainstream delinquents, is that 2pac was a poet; a conflicted, troubled individual who cherished the notion of poetry and therefore did hold back as a lyricist. His goals were to gain respect for women, to stop racism and empower the black community with equal rights, and though he himself was "Thug Life," to perpetuate the end of it. Like Van Gogh or Kurt Cobain, the world watched as he became more disturbed; we watched and we knew because he always shared the truth with us, as fowl as it might have been. Though it might have cost him his life, he always stayed true to being an artist and everything that entailed. Probably the most influential rapper ever, and well deserved. R.I.P.
