L'Orange & Kool Keith featuring Mr. Lif - "Twenty Fifty Three"

I write about hip hop surprisingly rarely considering that I listened to way more rap than anything else in my teen years. Hip hop is the one genre I truly turn into a grumpy old man about. Most new rap I just don't get at all, and most artists from back in my youth either don't make music or it's just dull and uninteresting.

This is why I'm so excited about this new track from L'Orange & Kool Keith, featuring Mr. Lif. This is my first exposure to L'Orange (who's based in Nashville, oddly enough), but I've been following both Lif and Kool Keith for years now. They're two of the increasingly rare rappers who've been around for a while but still have an interesting output. Put both on one track, and there's no way it can fail.

"Twenty Fifty Three" is a great song. It has a futuristic and western vibe, which leads to immediate comparisons to Deltron 3030 and Gorillaz. But L'Orange & Kool Keith have their own feel to it, and it feels like a Deltron/Wu-Tang mash up. It's a must hear for any old school hip hop fan, and maybe for new ones so they can learn what real hip hop should sound like.

The collaboration between L'Orange & Kool Keith, Time? Astonishing is due out July 24. You can listen to "Twenty Fifty Three" below, and head over to L'Orange's Bandcamp to hear another track ("The Traveler" which features J-Live). Since the album will also feature guest spots from Open Mike Eagle and MC Paul Barman, you'll probably want to pre-order it while you're there.

First Listen: New Releases for June 30th

Hey, listen!

This is the holiday weekend in the States coming up, and usually one of these weeks is slow. Next week appears to be that week, with the added bonus of the new release date changing to Fridays. So we will have our regularly scheduled First Listen this week, next Tuesday will be a later-than-normal Quarterly Report, and the following Tuesday will begin the new schedule and format for First Listen. Get it? Got it? Good. Onto the music.

Goblin Rebirth - Goblin Rebirth: Ken sent this one over, they are apparently a long-standing band that has done horror film scores, and while that influence shows, so does a lot of the prog-style instrumentation they use. I have to wonder if they influenced Mogwai/if they were an influence on the group, because I had a lot of reminders of them. Overall, a good listen, perhaps not for everyone, but still probably worth a spin in a quiet week.

Matt Pond PA - The State of Gold: Album of the week is the new one from Matt Pond PA. Back with his bandmates after a brief solo pit stop, the new album is some really high-quality songwriting. While it may be a little too overdone for some ears, I found a lot to love here (especially as a longtime fan), and I thought it was a pretty great album. The first few songs aren't ones that will grab you the way the rest of the the album will, so fair warning there, but otherwise, absolutely highly recommended this week.

Twin Danger - Twin Danger: What would jazz with a more punk sensibility sound like? I don't know, but Twin Danger might come close. I know nothing about this duo except that I struggle with jazz music and found this really appealing. They have a cover of "No One Knows" by Queens of the Stone Age that you might want to seek out to see if you like what you hear, and stick with the album and give it a fair shot. You might really enjoy it.

Joy Williams - Venus: It's impossible, at this point, to listen to Venus without thinking of Joy Williams's previous duo, The Civil Wars. So listening to Venus and its sort of low-impact, quiet, not-really-folk-but-not-singer-songwritery either tone doesn't ever stop being jarring on first listen. I don't know if it's actually a good or bad album in that regard, because it is truly a weird listen. I'll need more time with this, but if I can recommend anything, it's that you should go into this without preconceived notions.

Refused - Freedom: Another Ken pick, this one is a band that's been around for a while. It's loud and brash, and while I was into it early, it got grating pretty late. Not something I loved, but also not entirely for me.

Love Amongst Ruin - Lose Your Way: A third Ken pick, this album is noteworthy due to the involvement of Placebo's drummer. It really sounds like basic, standard rock that's popular today and nothing especially solid stands out. It's not bad, it's not good, it's just unmemorable.

Good Old War - Broken Into Better Shape: Good Old War made a splash a few years back, and their new album (their first for Nettwerk) is definitely right along the lines of what you expect. The downer is that the album feels very polished, and that doesn't match up so well with their sound on a whole. I can't say I didn't like this album - I do look forward to listening more. I just know the potential of this band and how production values can take away from things on a whole. Kind of unfortunate.

Funeral Advantage - "Sisters"

Photo via Facebook

I wrote about Funeral Advantage last month when they played the Harvard Square Mayfair, mentioning that their songs sounded like Smiths covers. After hearing "Sisters," the first song off their upcoming album, I may be wrong. "Sisters" is a lovely dream-pop song, and far too summery too ever be compared to The Smiths. It's very light and synth heavy and reminds me of a more ethereal version of The Anniversary. After hearing their previous material, this is a huge step forward for them song and production wise. Expect huge things from their debut.

Funeral Advantage's debut album, Body Is Dead, is due out August 25 on The Native Sound. You can pre-order it now on the label's Bandcamp or iTunes. For more on Funeral Advantage, including previous releases, check out their Bandcamp or Facebook. If you're in the Boston area, they have a show coming up July 23 at The Middle East in Cambridge. 

Live Shows: Mission of Burma and Guerilla Toss, 3S Artspace, Portsmouth, NH 6/24/15

Photo by Ken Sears

After realizing I haven't seen Mission of Burma since 2004, and since I don't want to shell out the prices to see them open for Foo Fighters at Fenway Park next month, I had no other option but to road trip up to Portsmouth, NH on a Wednesday night. Luckily, there was also a brand new music venue to check out when I got there. 

3S Artspace has been open for about three months. It's a combination restaurant/gallery/performance space. Seeing a show at a "performance space" is always a bit iffy, but these guys seem to have it together. The diamond shape of the space and the chairs lining the walls gave off a bit of a rec center vibe, but once the show started that was all forgotten. Great sound, great lighting, and an air conditioned room made this one of my new favorite venues. Their calendar tells me I'll be heading up to Portsmouth more often than not from now on.

Photo by Ken Sears

Guerilla Toss opened the show, and I wasn't sure what to expect. I've heard great things about them, but their albums always seem a little too experimental to me. All the positive reports seem to come from their live show, and I now agree. Despite having an amazingly bad day (their van was towed on the way to the gig, leaving them stuck on the side of the road in Worcester, MA), they put on an amazingly energetic show. What first seemed like just pure discordant noise with no real rhythm or plan eventually started to show a real funk side. They introduced a few songs as "party songs," which turned out to be a legit claim once you paid attention and focused. Guerilla Toss just might be America's noisiest funk band. 

Photo by Ken Sears

You can't discuss Guerilla Toss without mentioning singer Kassie Carlson. One of the most energetic frontpeople you'll see in music, She barely stood still during the entire set and just personified their entire sound. What was truly unique is that she actually seemed to be focusing the music with her movements and not just going through a pre-planned routine. Even if you don't like the music of Guerilla Toss, check them out someday just for her.

Photo by Ken Sears

Mission of Burma are the absolute ideal band going through a reunion. At no point do they seem bored or just going through the motions for a paycheck. They seem genuinely happy to be playing together for the few shows they do a year. Roger Miller particularly seems thrilled for every song and has more energy than a musician half his age. It shows how strong a band's reunion is that they can make up half their set with newer material. Then again, the reunion has produced more of an output than their original run, so it makes complete sense. What is truly telling is that no one in the crowd seemed to care and reacted to all songs with enthusiasm. A song like "2wice" stands right up with classics like "Max Ernst." They even played a brand new song, "Buzz Your Soul." Peter Prescott was downright chatty behind the drum set, remarking that the crowd had the same make up they've always attracted: All men in the front row. They did go back to classics to close out their main set ("That's How I escaped My Certain Fate," "Max Ernst," and "Academy Fight Song") and closed out their encore with the one two punch of "This Is Not a Photograph" and "That's When I Reach for My Revolver."

Unfortunately, Mission of Burma doesn't have too many more live dates currently scheduled. Unless you're in NYC or Washington DC (or want to pay a bazillion dollars to watch them with the Foo Fighters), you're out of luck. If you are in those cities, go to their website for more details.

First Listen: New Releases for June 23

Some minor housecleaning notes - with the music industry moving to a universal Friday release date, the current plan is to move First Listen to Monday or Tuesday (Monday preferred, but the real world gets in the way and all that). With it will be a slightly different format as well, so stay tuned. The understanding is that the first Friday release day will be July 10, so either the July 6 or July 13 releases will be impacted by the change, and I still haven't seen a straight answer.

Either way, stay tuned. New releases are afoot!

Four Tet - Morning/Evening: Four Tet had a surprise release this week with Morning/Evening, a solid listen for sure but one that is unliekly to excite people who aren't already inclined to be into Four Tet. I really liked it, perhaps even more than the previous effort, but this won't be for everyone.

Richard Thompson - Still: Richard Thompson is one of those classic acts ("Wall of Death" is still an awesome song, and I'll fight anyone who disagrees) that seems to get overlooked for whatever reason. Still is a good album that sometimes dabbles in greatness and sometimes dabbles in "old man trying to be relevant" territory, and that unevenness is ultimately as appealing as some of the solid songs. It's definitely worth a listen, as it's hard to predict what you'd expect from this one.

Wolf Alice - My Love is Cool: One of my more anticipated releases of this week, Wolf Alice's debut is like 90s grunge infused with a more modern sensibility, and it is just awesome. If you remember Feeder, this album really made me think back to that album a lot in terms of mood and tone, but what's impressive is that this band's permutations since their first EP has developed into a really full and solid sound. I'm a big fan of this album, and it's absolutely my release of the week.

Desaparecidos - Payola: Conor Oberst's political punk-ish side project is back after more than a decade with a new album that remains overtly political without sacrificing musicality. It's a fun, nice, noisy listen that doesn't hold back while also not being so in your face with whatever messages are being portrayed where those less inclined to agree with Oberst would be thrown off. Fans of Oberst, of the band in general, of those looking for something louder? Give this a listen.

Bully - Feels Like: If Wolf Alice is rocking the 1990s in a modern way, Bully is going full throwback and I love it. Seriously, give "Trying" a few minutes of your time and see if you don't fall for it right away. Bully is perhaps a little more understated than Wolf Alice, but it works in that the band is channeling their collective Juliana Hatfield more than anything else. Borderline required listening this week - it doesn't deserve to be overshadowed by Wolf Alice, and the two are wonderful companions to each other.

The Orb - Moonbuilding 2703 AD: The Orb are one of those classic electronic acts that sometimes, somehow gets lost in the shuffle when we talk about those great acts. This is four songs and fifty-plus minutes, and it has the classic Orb elements, and thus, well, like Four Tet, won't be for everyone. It's a solid listen, though, and definitely worth the time.

Phil Cook - "Great Tide"

Phil Cook appears to be one of the few producers that can actually become a great artist himself. A Wisconsin native, he's spent the last ten years in the south (currently calling Durham, NC home) and has been embraced by that music scene. He's played on, produced, or written for The Blind Boys of Alabama, Hiss Golden Messenger, Amy Ray, and more.

Now, it's his turn in the spotlight. "Great Tide" is the first song off his upcoming album, Southland Mission. It's the perfect blend of mainstream and alt-country, perfect for fans of Jason Isbell and Justin Townes Earle. The song takes maybe a minute to get going, but once it does it's a laid back down home country song with an energetic, sing-a-long chorus. There's also just a hint of psychedelia and jam band in there, but don't let that deter you.

Southland Mission is due out September 11 on Thirty Tigers and Middle West. For now, you can listen to "Great Tide" below, and check out Phil Cook's website. Also, you can find his current tour dates below "Great Tide."

6/24 Durham, NC - Duke Gardens

7/16 Eau Claire, WI - Eaux Claires

7/18 Eau Claire, WI - Eaux Claires

9/10 Raleigh, NC - Hopscotch Music Festival

9/22 New York, NY - Rough Trade NYC

9/24 Washington DC - DC9

10/3 Oslo, Norway - Opera House*

10/4 Goteborg, Sweden - Konserthuset*

10/5 Stockholm, Sweden - Cirkus*

10/6 Umea, Sweden - Idun*

10/8 Linkoping, Sweden - Crusell*

10/9 Falun, Sweden - Magasinet*

10/10 Aarhus, Denmark - Voxhall*

10/12 Cologne, Germany - E-Werk*

10/13 Berlin, Germany - Huxley's*

10/14 Vienna, Austria - Arena*

10/15 Milan, Italy - Alcatraz*

10/16 Zurich, Switzerland - Volkshaus*

10/17 Paris, France - La Bataclan*

10/19 London, UK - Roundhouse*

10/20 Glasgow, UK - O2 ABC*

10/21 Dublin, Ireland - Vicar Street*

10/23 Manchester, UK - Albert Hall*

10/24 Bexhill On Sea, UK - De La Warr*

10/25 Brussels, Belgium - AB*

10/27 Copenhagen, Denmark - Vega*

*with The Tallest Man on Earth

Gwenno - "Patriarchaeth"

Gwenno, aka Gwenno Saunders, used to be in The Pipettes from 2005-2010. Knowing The Pipettes, her solo work seems to come out of nowhere. While her previous band was a fun throwback to 60s girl groups (Gwenno sang lead on the hit "Pull Shapes"), Y DYDD OLAF (The Last Day) is a political concept album that was inspired by a 1976 Welsh sci-fi novel of the same name. The album's first single, "Patriarchaeth," is kraut-pop. It's still a throwback sound slightly updated, but more 80s than 60s this time around.

Y DYDD OLAF (The Last Day) is due out July 24 on Heavenly Recordings. For more information on Gwenno, check out her Facebook, Twitter, and website. Listen to "Patriarchaeth" below, and find her current tour dates below that.

Saturday 4th July - CARDIFF - Tafwyl 

Sunday 5th July - LIVERPOOL - Heavenly 25 @ Kazimier 

Sunday 19th July - SOUTHWOLD - Latitude 

Friday 31st July - CORNWALL - Port Eliot Festival 

Friday 14th August - CARDIGAN - Caught By The River 

Sunday 6th September - PORTMEIRION - Festival No. 6 

Thursday 17th September – LEEDS – Brudenell Games Room 

Friday 18th September – GLASGOW – The Hug & Pint  

Saturday 19th September – NEWCASTLE – Think Tank 

Sunday 20th September – MANCHESTER – Soup Kitchen 

Tuesday 22nd September – LONDON – Oslo 

Wednesday 23rd September – BRISTOL – Louisiana 

Thursday 24th September – BRIGHTON – The Basement  

Friday 25th September – CARDIFF – Clwb Ifor Bach 

Saturday 26th September – BIRMINGHAM – Rainbow Club

Mean Creek - "September Moon"

We're three days away from the final Mean Creek show, and to celebrate (?) the band has released a best of compilation on their Bandcamp. The compilation features "Forgotten Streets," which seemed to be the band's final song when it was released along with the announcement that they were breaking up. Turns out they have one more for us: "September Moon." Maybe it's because the news has time to settle in a bit more with "September Moon," but the song seems like more of a downer than "Forgotten Streets" did. "September Moon" is more loud and raucous as opposed to the pure anthem that is "Forgotten Streets." We should just be happy to get yet another final shot at music by our beloved Mean Creek, but this one hurts a little more.

Mean Creek are playing their final show opening for Soul Asylum and Meat Puppets at The Middle East in Cambridge on Thursday, June 25. You can get tickets here (although I am hoping for a headlining farewell show sometime in the near future). You can listen to "September Moon" below. "Best Of" Mean Creek is available for free on their Bandcamp, although all proceeds for purchases go to  the Mother Emanuel Hope Fund for the families of the victims of last week's Charleston, SC church shooting.

Rayland Baxter - "Yellow Eyes"

I first became aware of Rayland Baxter back when he was playing Newport Folk Festival in 2013, and I just couldn't get into him. I kept trying and trying to get into his album, but I just couldn't. It just didn't speak to me, and somehow seemed almost like a novelty record.

With the release of the first song off his upcoming album, everything has changed. "Yellow Eyes" is fantastic. It's indie folk/country at its absolute apex. Fragile and catchy vocals, laid back instrumentation with a beautiful guitar riff along with the chorus, the perfect amount of polish on the production... this song would be the hit of the summer if there was any justice in the world. With one song, Rayland Baxter has turned me into dismissing him to a raving fan.

Imaginary Man will be out August 14 on ATO Records. You can listen to "Yellow Eyes" below. For more information on Rayland Baxter, check out his website and Facebook or Twitter. His current tour dates are also included below.

June 23—Bergen, Norway—Ole Bull Teater*
June 24—Oslo, Norway—Vulkan Arena*
June 25—Trondheim, Norway—Byscenen*
June 26—Ostersund, Sweden—Gamla Teatern*
June 27—Uppsala, Sweden—Katalin*
June 28—Stockholm, Sweden—Mosebacke Establissement*
June 30—Falkenberg, Sweden—Hwitan*
July 3—Berlin, Germany—Monarch Berlin
July 8--London--Hoxton Bar and Kitchen
July 24 & 25—Floyd, VA—Floydfest
August 6—Boulder, CO—Triple A Radio Conference
August 25—Sparta, KY—Nifi Festival
October 2-4— Austin, TX—Austin City Limits Music Festival
October 9-11—Austin, TX—Austin City Limits Music Festival

Eddie Spaghetti of The Supersuckers is Fighting Cancer

Bad news for everyone: Eddie Spaghetti of The Supersuckers has been diagnosed with stage 3 oropharynx cancer. This summer he will undergo surgery and treatment to fight the cancer. This completely cancels the band's planned summer European tour, and put the upcoming Supersuckers album in jeopardy. 

As you probably know, musicians don't always have the best health care providers, and don't exactly have medical leave. There's a YouCaring page set up to help Eddie's family with medical expenses and to offset the loss of income from the cancelled tour. The Supersuckers aren't exactly a top 40 act, so the majority of their income comes from touring. As of this writing, $17,000+ of the $50,000 goal has been raised to help Eddie out. If you're looking to help, head over to the YouCaring page that's been set up.

In better Supersuckers news, Eddie Vedder showed up at the band's show at the Tractor in Seattle on 6/18 to perform the Ramones' "I Believe in Miracles." You can watch YouTube user Tami Goldfadim's video below.

Get better, Eddie.