tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82184201003918317292011-08-02T04:55:54.988+02:00Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.comBlogger2371100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-27216466733485243462010-08-12T18:47:00.000+02:002010-08-12T18:47:30.006+02:00

Mezzic http://mezzic.com ----After a couple years, I have moved on to a new redesigned Méandre now entitled Mezzic. The change is for the better with a new name, new domain, new Twitter and new content in the works from new contributors. The focus remains the same, so you'll continue to get what you expect from me. It's just shiny and new! I am looking for contributors from outside the Midwest,

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-74149159667870127912010-08-06T22:11:00.001+02:002010-08-06T22:12:31.476+02:00

Alors the City of Love is world renown for pure, unbridled ecstasy and creativity oft of the sexual variety. The streets are full entranced lovers along the river, and les bacs (record stores) are full of the likes of Charlotte Gainsbourgs and Sebastien Telliers. The latter unleashed his Sexuality in 2008, an overt yet restrained opus on lust that left critics entangled in his musical bedsheets…

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-77140887380941230162010-08-01T20:29:00.001+02:002010-08-01T20:32:52.663+02:00

"Is it safe where you're driving?" 'Yes, mom. I've been there a bunch of times...it's in a good neighborhood.' Insert busted out car windows and our protagonist passes the threshold into a dingy, darkly lit building. Ceiling tiles are not crumbling, but punched out. Stains of all shapes, varieties and colors litter places where stains should never have formed. The bathroom puts the third world

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-8894163990880365992010-07-16T02:05:00.002+02:002010-07-16T02:08:14.859+02:00

I have been gone, yes. 16 hour work days for ten days straight don't lend much time to writing. Fear not, ye fearless non-fair weather fans. I'm all freed up in two weeks. In the meantime...

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-39369326180390880622010-06-28T14:43:00.001+02:002010-08-09T05:56:44.880+02:00

3OH!3 - My First Kiss (feat. Ke$ha) From copying Uffie to concocting pop music recalling the cringe-worthy influx of "pop punk" circa 2001 combines 3OH!3 and Ke$ha. Just like back then, ignore the lyrics; it makes swallowing this pill so good those commercialized side effects that hit you down the road make it well worth it. This single has more hooks than your father's tackle box. 7.4 Justin

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-63375824878382376332010-06-26T05:04:00.003+02:002010-08-09T04:23:33.965+02:00

Paris-based singer/songstress Madjo will be releasing her debut album later in the year, following up her stunningly elegant EP released late last year. Here she is helping out the fellows of Puggy for an uplifting, rambunctious romp of a cover of The Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds". Puggy is an international trio (British, Swedish and French) headquartered out of Belgium. The Teaser

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-71949561289467354732010-05-29T13:07:00.000+02:002010-05-29T13:07:00.769+02:00

The Black Keys - Tighten Up Accelerating into the song akin to Spoon, the dirty blues rock duo returns with a Rubber Factory sounding single. Patrick Carney's drumming tugs you in like Hugo and a black mysterious chord before Dan Auerbach's grunge-tinged blues seizes you from behind with a surprising, well-placed breakdown. Best since before they broke into radio. 7.4 Black Sunshine - Once in

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-52987515825045367772010-05-20T19:27:00.003+02:002010-08-09T04:23:27.209+02:00

Concurrent with Dessa Darling up in the Land of 10,000 Lakes mixing poetry with rhymes, across the ocean you have Clara Plume illuminating the City of Light. The two are quite similar in blending styles around verses, often in a rapid-fire delivery, but while one can get quite visceral, the other basks in the joyful side of wordplay. It helps the name Clara was chosen for clarity and lightness.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-8664823944072172222010-05-17T03:57:00.005+02:002010-05-26T21:30:00.826+02:00

Civil Twilight - Letters from the Sky The way Andrew McKellar's voice strains recalls classic Bono, just with a touch of Chris Martin. It is ambitious, beginning with a punctuated piano just dolling out heavy note after note weighed down by a driving-yet not overwhelming-drumming towards the end. Restrained, and talented. Keep an ear open for these Cape Town-to-United States folks. 7.4 Coheed

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-1781204062718681142010-05-08T03:48:00.004+02:002010-05-08T04:01:34.787+02:00

Donate for Chi Cheng: One Love for Chi Trauma has a peculiar way of turning up at the worst moments. Scotland Yard Gospel Choir underwent a horrific traffic accident that led Elia Einhorn into a neck brace to heal an injured spine…not mentioning the rest of the band that folioed Elia and rolled over five times. Or in the Deftone's case, Chi Cheng becoming seriously injured in a November 2008 car

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-72227703799901649742010-04-30T21:30:00.002+02:002010-04-30T21:36:29.294+02:00

Back a few weeks in my alternate life at Radio Free Chicago covering gigs across this land, F. Stokes and Astronautalis opened for Doomtree's Dessa and P.O.S.. The most well-rounded show of the year thus far with talent across the wooden floor boards. Chicago's F. Stokes released a free mixtape with Dirty Disco Kidz with quality that beckons to be paid for. In the cloudy sea of free, it's a

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-75627952698806594872010-04-25T19:06:00.002+02:002010-08-09T04:33:22.355+02:00

Monday's Ghost carved out a deep precedent for the Zurich-born singer/songwriter who intricately and expertly borrows facets of jazz and folk to chip and shape her unique sound. First discovered at the Montreaux Jazz Festival, I had the chance to attend one of five consecutive performances at La Boule Noire in Montmartre, Paris. The stage setup mirrors Sophie Hunger's music; dark and sombre, yet

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-86335812397751911392010-04-19T12:30:00.002+02:002010-08-09T04:33:27.715+02:00

In the tradition of French electro-pop comes yet another duo making sure those symbols get the spotlight, Numéro#. However they ain't from Paris, but across our border in Montreal. Sport de Combat skews towards dance in taking queues from Simian Mobile Disco more than fellow mainstream French electro artists. Pierre Crube and Jérôme Rocipon. "Tonton Klaxonne" even evokes The Faint's socio

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-52350986163094788712010-04-16T09:45:00.000+02:002010-04-16T09:45:00.520+02:00

2Cents - Get What? Given the following review's mentioned tendency, 2Cents leans towards the harder end of the speed vs. heaviness spectrum. They cite Pennywise as influences, heard in the perfect start/stop ability perfected by their fellow Los Angeles musicians. Think "Bullet With A Name", but with cliffhanger precision. 5.9 Bullet For My Valentine - Your Betrayal Alternative music has had a

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-30538092726772993242010-04-13T14:55:00.005+02:002010-08-09T04:14:22.801+02:00

It's approaching a year since her self-titled album was released on the independent rock label at(h)ome in Paris as well as her biggest-to-date concert at Place de la République's Café de la Danse. Since then she's carried away the Prix des Écritures de la Chanson 2009 for songwriting, done her tour of television, and remains a regular spin…a veritable rarity. Charlie's from Lyon, about two hours

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-45878956469671726302010-04-11T01:53:00.001+02:002010-04-11T01:57:19.190+02:00

Setting this straight, American's viewpoint of German music is woefully limited to Rammstein and commercials of college kids stuck with the Germans' techno industrial dance music. Outside of that I can't really say much more about it all, at least until Berlin's Siriusmo and The Uninvited Guest. Siriusmo, or Moritz Friedrich, is a bare bones electronic artist with a penchant for keys. Yet we're

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-58405461619680543892010-04-06T10:43:00.004+02:002010-04-11T01:43:07.226+02:00

I'll admit I'm late to We Were Promised Jetpacks. Been slow at keeping up with Huw Stevens' stellar recommendations, of which I'm sure the Edinburgh outfit was one such. Yet thanks to a recent brilliant bill at Lincoln Hall, they eluded my ears no longer. Just before and afterwards, These Four Walls worn down the proverbial cassette of iTunes through an endearing mix between Brand New's The Devil

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-56421599492401826802010-04-04T00:56:00.002+02:002010-04-04T01:06:20.946+02:00

The Bravery - Hatefuck Stir the Blood's lead single, "Slow Poison," didn't quite revive The Bravery as it should've. The beat lacked bite, a spark akin to "Unconditional" that "Hatef--k" (iTunes) manages to ensnare. It is dark, and danceable while driving its merciless lyrics deep. 7.4 Cavo - Crash A great follow-up to "Champagne," the St. Louis hard rock outfit shook off the Buckcherry-ness

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-45875794344711030752010-03-17T10:41:00.002+01:002010-08-09T04:34:06.030+02:00

Cold War Kids - Audience An odd end in a collection of tracks compiled in the Behave Yourself EP, "Audience" brings the Cold War Kids back to the delightful drum and piano pounding indie rock of 2006. It has the "Hang Me Out To Dry" vibe and shakes much of the sophomoric slump of "Loyalty to Loyalty" that silenced much of the bloggers out there-blame attention spans. The latest is a caffeinated

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-40707896068667239492010-03-14T20:04:00.005+01:002010-08-09T04:30:47.366+02:00

Remember the 80s? That decade dominated by bubbly pop or often synthesized keys? Or how about the highlighter colored clothing that threatened to temporarily blind you depending on how many clouds were in the sky? Well…it was also the time of tattoos decked out over hair metal artists. We've come a long way since then as in the past year and a half one particular artist combined keys, pop, and

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-42250953028160943202010-03-11T10:29:00.001+01:002010-08-09T04:35:29.133+02:00

In building up to an album's release, there is a standard procedure following recording and mixing geared towards creating buzz and word-of-mouth to fuel interest. You pick one of the strongest tracks. That one. The one with the bright, uptempo beat that's slightly more quirky than your previous singles. Got it? Good. Leak it, quotation marks optional over that. Let the song do the talking. When

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-70200540702961181932010-03-08T10:44:00.001+01:002010-08-09T04:35:34.200+02:00

Seven has been associated with This Addiction, whether covering the CD itself to the earplugs the band uses during their tour. The integer itself denotes either dread or luck, depending on your viewpoint. The seventh album is as polarizing as the number; you'll either love it or hate it. In fact, it has been one of the more challenging releases since the ball started rolling on the pop side of

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-83274702189722447892010-03-05T22:36:00.004+01:002010-03-05T23:25:10.304+01:00

My first exposure to Dessa just so happened to be on one of the False Hopes that the Minneapolis collective, Doomtree, has been churning out over the 2000s. She's the countering anchor to heavy hitters, Sims, Mike Mictlan and P.O.S.. With A Badly Broken Code, the northern state riles those settling, productive music waters.Professor and poet, Dessa Darling unleashed her long-awaited debut full

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-60925402265790129502010-02-26T02:15:00.002+01:002010-08-09T04:34:11.457+02:00

Admittedly not much variety this week, both in terms of genre nor ratings. That's just cause radio's waking up and starting to deliver better material after a slow January. Charlie Winston - I Love Your Smile The newest from UK singer/songwriter, Charlie Winston, sounds straight from a Randy Newman score. Sentimental, poignant piano, and wistful lyrics. The suppressed horns and subdued,

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-79098770404774616592010-02-20T18:09:00.001+01:002010-08-09T04:29:35.190+02:00

The daring darling at The Hot Half Life recently made a monumental shift to Cincinnati from Chicago, leaving our fair city resembling more like a lawless, crime-infested Gotham City than…I exaggerate…but she did telegraph back dispatches in the Cincy scene! One such cherished discovery was the indie electro two-piece, You, You're Awesome possessing more energy than Araknoid hopped up on two pots

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-15325503377041445412010-02-16T10:38:00.002+01:002010-08-09T04:31:51.039+02:00

The 2008 British folk movement brought the two leading luminaries into the Bottom Lounge in Chicago for a half-filled show. Johnny Flynn and Laura Marling had been stirring hearts and minds, expanding into the festival circuit. Woe be thee who missed the opening act, because Marcus Mumford and company provided a stunning surprise that eclipsed the headliners. Chicago's first taste of Mumford &

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-44860770959459981142010-02-14T23:32:00.004+01:002010-08-09T04:32:53.022+02:00

Coheed & Cambria - The Broken Claudio Sanchez is arguably one of the best personalities to break into alternative radio in the past decade. No one else possesses his falsetto and mammoth guitar abilities in one person, nor the hair. As Coheed & Cambria supposedly winds down its epic storyline, he continues to churn out stadium prog rock that even marble monuments couldn't contain. Though darker

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-45069145486205865592010-02-06T18:59:00.001+01:002010-08-09T04:22:01.286+02:00

In December, an email landed in my inbox from France with a gratuit MP3 from this unheard of singer. Free and French? Sign me up! Her voice shook me, akin more to North American songstresses of late than the likes of Camille, Charlie or Nolwenn Leroy. Madjo is an île of soul-infused sounds, evidenced by her debut EP released at the end of 2009. Unveiled just yesterday is a new acoustic session

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-44458354869794188912010-02-04T00:06:00.002+01:002010-08-09T04:32:58.376+02:00

January is traditionally a rather desolate month in terms of fresh singles making it to the airwaves. The hot holiday season has cooled into a frigid empty tundra. But hey, there's a couple new tracks in the snow of late! Sorry for the delay y'all, spent the last two and a half weeks reconnecting and trekking around Western Europe. Avril Lavigne - Alice Our Canadian pop seamstress has been

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-67164088803065362392010-01-19T03:10:00.000+01:002010-01-19T03:10:00.618+01:00

Rochester isn't very known nationally as a music hotbed despite its advantageous location between Toronto and New York City. Hence it's little surprising that Dasha dipped below many people's radars last fall with Damned If We Do. The album, released via the tiny label Whaleplane, takes the likes of early-mid 2000s post-rock/indie, and amplifies it to a new level. Although the 9 tracks rolls

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-85953598908370341432010-01-13T02:32:00.001+01:002010-03-07T17:33:00.041+01:00

2009 was the year iPhone jetted atmospherically in terms of downloads and capabilities. In music, these applications predominately were promotional tools and gimmicks to hawk high-profile albums and artists. They served short-term goals and something that, odds are, was deleted without much thought. Towards the end of the year, a new crop of music-related applications with purpose began showing

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-40673764154237567032010-01-06T08:45:00.002+01:002010-08-09T04:33:03.287+02:00

The roundup this week draws back a bit, while touching base with a freshly baked single from Chicago's Alkaline Trio. Yet not only back, but across the ocean. Expect more international singles from here on out. Alkaline Trio - This Addiction The Chicago trifecta have been revving up for their upcoming album, This Addiction, since parting ways with Sony and joining Epitaph. Moreover, they brought

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-6195390635710745522010-01-01T02:07:00.005+01:002010-01-01T02:46:30.539+01:00

For my top albums/EPs of 2009, as well as the top 5 shows of the year take that high-speed connection towards Radio Free Chicago. For all other matters, stick around! I'll share one more (non-exhaustive) list after this digression.I believe I won't be the only person wishing 2009 into the past, and hoping it stays that way (unless it's brought back by a phone booth). No knocking the music this

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-66915209211137507902009-12-26T22:47:00.004+01:002009-12-29T00:00:59.922+01:00

As the year-end lists begin to dwindle, fresh snow continues to fall on rooftops, and those Christmas trees lie bare in your apartment silently coming to the realization their days are truly numbered as their gift boxed companions now are dispersed among family and friends, what do we have to look forward to after the New Year? January freezes? Frostbite? Oh god, I have to file taxes? Will my car

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-86405672228516842612009-12-12T02:01:00.004+01:002010-08-09T04:25:48.498+02:00

5 emcees. 4 producers. 1 house. (give or take) 15 false hopes. It's got the makings of a reality television show. And that's what's behind the Doomtree collective out of the Twin Cities. While the one house may be a stretch, False Hopes 15 definitively debuted with Blowout V; the all-out annual showcase at First Avenue highlighting a good chunk of that TC talent. They have come a long way, and

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-47118581936086837672009-12-10T18:10:00.004+01:002010-08-09T04:33:08.287+02:00

Vampire Weekend - Cousins Truth be told, I wasn't a fan of their debut. While refreshing and charming with its melodic pop, "A-Punk" and Co. lost its carbonation and became stale too quickly for my musical tastebuds. However, "Cousins" shakes off that perishable shelf-life to create a more energetic response to their prior singles, "A-Punk" and "Oxford Comma". Speedy surfy guitars will surely

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-15859411255057865882009-12-08T21:54:00.004+01:002010-08-09T04:32:39.875+02:00

Confession. I hate hip-hop. The beats are repetitive, unimaginative to the point it may as well be techno. Lyrically, it only (mis)treats drugs, abuse, and violence. There no true musicianship behind rap, nothing that makes me want to learn an instrument or be a better artist. Welcome to early 2003, or as I call, the pre-Slug & Ant époque of my music listening history. Months later, a best

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-46271283875204969672009-11-03T00:31:00.003+01:002010-08-09T04:13:06.479+02:00

Best video of a song we caught Halloween evening at The Whistler in Chicago (though care of CMJ and NYC instead of Chi-city). Last gig of their North American tour with fellow Brits, Sky Larkin. With interchanging instruments, this Brighton-via-London trio, Peggy Sue, was a phenomenal alt-folk injection into zombie-filled night. A review should be up soon via Radio Free Chicago.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-49975243423312169062009-10-04T23:09:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:27:23.751+02:00

Granted, he's British. This musician came to Paris after not finding much luck in the uber-competitive scene of England. No one seemed to heed his call, but the French picked up at the caller ID and have not hung up yet. Charlie Winston has since sold 300,000 copies of his album, Hobo, since it's release this Spring. No word yet on an American release date, but for a country about the size of

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-52212863910102894682009-10-03T22:01:00.000+02:002009-10-03T22:01:01.029+02:00

"That's why the shorties say I'm bad as Malfoy..." - Jern Eye I'm a sucker for improved rhyming, but that line just stopped me in hilarity. Loved it!

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-87062093518106478662009-10-02T18:59:00.000+02:002009-10-02T18:59:08.186+02:00

Nothing captures a live performance like a one-take tour promo. Brother Ali really delivers the rhyming viciousness of his shows accompanied by recent Rhymesayers additions, Toki Wright and Evidence. Check the dates and hit 'em up in your town.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-11782303562671654402009-10-01T06:53:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:24:59.511+02:00

Consisting of emcees X.O. and YU along with producer/emcee Oddissee, Diamond District gives a tour of their stomping grounds of DC, Maryland and Virginia. Coming from the spread-out Midwest, you never really think about the influences of such as small region as the DMV. Spare some time and check out this behind the scenes view of their influences as Diamond District finishes up In The Ruff,

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-60916379964852418502009-09-27T01:28:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:29:27.312+02:00

Wax Tailor is a trip/hip-hop producer crafting some of the freshest, yet vintage beats in recent years out of Paris, France. His third album, In the Mood for Life, continues in the vein of borrowing vocal tracks from cinema of yonder year and mashing them into rhymes of today's times. Capping at 18 minutes, this extensive behind the scenes view of his album is enthralling with superb direction,

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-88115830939458456572009-09-11T20:58:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:28:46.077+02:00

Via Brotherali.com, check out Toki Wright and Evidence's featured track on his upcoming Us album coming out September 22nd. Make your way to Fifth Element and pre-order.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-1300636896965221212009-09-10T17:05:00.002+02:002010-08-09T04:25:09.148+02:00

Featured on the buzzed Major Lazer (DJ/Producer duo extraordinaire Diplo & Switch) album, Jovi Rockwell via Delicious Vinyl is releasing a Digital 45 single of Rizzla and You're Gonna Need Me featuring Mr. Vegas. Rizzla's got the bounce and the beat behind a sultry & sweet swing while the latter features a tight reggae deeply rooted in Jovi's Jamaican heritage. In all honesty, drop the $1.98 on

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-81169879807503520762009-09-10T04:07:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:34:36.486+02:00

It's a calm week given the massive update to iTunes and its Store. A review of that will follow shortly. Three Days Grace - Break Starting with synth and ending with 1980s-style choruses, the new singles starts off and ends ambitiously. However it continues in the same vein as Pain and prior efforts, tweaking the guitar solos in brightness while adding small noticeable elements that

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-71351449095912109962009-09-09T18:07:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:21:53.944+02:00

"At 14, her mother died in a routine operation from allergic reaction to a general anesthetic. So the rest of the team's experimenting with descriptions in a futile attempt to know more than the doctors." Wow. While We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed seemed to drift or be less cohesive as their cheerful debut, the 2010 album from Los Campesinos! is going to sweep in like a hurricane of musical and

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-60398541289771259242009-09-02T16:39:00.002+02:002010-08-09T04:26:57.350+02:00

Russian-born Alexei Jendayi and Jamaican-born Kowboy Kom join some unlikely elements to create The Vodka & Rum mixtape out for free as Fly Gypsy. Combining 70s soul and 90s electronica over slick, summery lyrics, the two met in D.C. after landing in the States and Brooklyn while still young. Tracks like Come Free Your People and the debut Reasons stand out, tugging classic samples and wrapping

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-20693199964706665942009-09-01T21:16:00.005+02:002010-08-09T03:58:59.570+02:00

Noah and the Whale - Blue Skies The debut album from Noah and the Whale is an indie pop/folk tempered romp, coupling intelligent folk with vocals from Charlie Fink supported by Laura Marling. 5 Years Time (Sun Sun Sun) got commercial airplay in America and some notable press. In an effort to eradicate the sophomore slump, they're running at that hill intending to surmount it, or even raise it

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-60517863980586176482009-08-29T04:04:00.002+02:002010-08-09T04:28:41.249+02:00

Always and forever it seems there'll be a controversy between downloading for free vs. buying. Rarely you hear in-depth commentary in such an honest manner as Brother Ali gives in one of his recent video blogs. "Do y'all realize for the music to be in some of these big stores, we're paying for that. We're paying for it to be on sale when it first comes out. We're paying for it to be in that

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-67334104460245087702009-08-27T17:55:00.002+02:002010-08-09T04:21:45.342+02:00

I wrote reviews about this fantastic UK band about a year ago when they accompanied Johnny Flynn and Laura Marling into the Bottom Lounge in Chicago. Already a strong bill, Mumford & Sons completely blew away the two British flagships of folk with their opening set. Since then, they've released a couple EPs and signed to Universal. Now their first official video is hitting the internet airwaves,

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-11962256940226184002009-08-27T00:03:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:05:38.221+02:00

The Bay's just boiling with talent these days, though it's doesn't stop 'em from bringing in Michigan emcee One Be Lo. B.A.B.Y., the upcoming February 2010 album, will make its debut via MYX Music Label. An acronym for "Being a Black Youth", the release recounts experiences and trials growing up in America. More than an album, One Be Lo intends to encompass film, clothing, and even toys. To help

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-66259798156287894892009-08-25T13:30:00.003+02:002010-08-09T04:31:02.975+02:00

Today brought a plethora of high profile single releases leading up to this fall's anticipated albums. Here's a few singles that escaped being scratched up by iTunes' digital needle. Flyleaf - Again Lacey Mosley has more dynamic voice than Hayley Williams of Paramore, not to say either one is better than the other. However Flyleaf conjures more of Misery Business than I'm So Sick, which is

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-32029206557066788402009-08-24T18:31:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:27:46.030+02:00

Looking oversaturated by dusk, the San Fran collective Sandpeople is no where close to setting like the sun with their first video off the Long Story, Short...EP. Hate Aside has a beat for the beginning of the week, something that keeps you going with a lifted chorus within the peppered rhymes. You have 'til Friday to vote to put them into full rotation, so head to MTVu now.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-86035661796978112762009-08-15T04:13:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:04:42.835+02:00

Dare I? Album of the year. Download it here: Rhymesayers It'll tell you who's accompanying Murs and Slug (Atmosphere), have a listen.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-64911832689806924592009-08-14T10:38:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:34:58.724+02:00

"I'm gonna move up step by step." "Rappers nowadays they fightin' for space on your hard drive. Me, I'd rather have a place in the archive." I couldn't talk enough about the second, given all that runs through RSS feeds and emails, but Kam Moye's rhymes took that spinning drive and stopped it by lyrics alone. The beats? That's the bonus. Step By Step says something, as it didn't even end up on

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-35566235352122043202009-08-14T01:14:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:01:49.086+02:00

Jake One previously plugged D.Black via YouTube and now gives a more tangible contribution through a bonus track off the upcoming Ali'Yah album coming out September 15th. Adding a bit of sweetness is Tiffany Wilson, lifting up the lyrics towards those cloudless skies. MP3: D. Black - Touch The Stars (feat. Tiffany Wilson)

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-68739467662482583332009-08-13T18:40:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:14:45.310+02:00

Last night I was with a visiting Canadian friend touring around Chicago. Within a day the city left her stunned with its concentration and sheer, cool vibe she received from everyone. Then we decided to take (even for me) an inaugural trip up to the Signature Lounge, 96 stories up the Hancock Tower. Think summer. Think drinks. Think a dimly lit ambiance. Think nighttime with highways spidering

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-90727497862764673582009-08-11T04:43:00.003+02:002010-08-09T04:29:22.081+02:00

Friday evening brought a welcome return to the Chicago indie scene, following the previous week's hip-hop extravaganza that is Doomtree, with Esser and Miike Snow supporting Lykke Li the day before all three performed at Lollapalooza. I'm a fan of air conditioning as opposed to Midwestern humidity, thus 'Hello Aftershow'. A full review of Lykke Li is up via Radio Free Chicago, however here's to

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-61658485398456113172009-08-07T04:03:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:01:44.922+02:00

I'm a sucker for horns and soul like moths to a light. Add in some soulful backing and time stands still. "Forget about yesterday, today won't be the same. And we don't know what tomorrow brings." The supporting vocals do that, lift you up within D.Black's newest single off his sophomore album Ali'Yah. We're all anxious, uncertain, and needing those little moments of reprise from these concerns.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-35282424240889400822009-08-05T01:19:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:29:57.672+02:00

The video is way better than the song, taking the angst by the neck and dragging it, kicking and screaming, back to when grunge was just becoming a household word. Cop By the Throat from Eyedea & Abilities now.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-79287237654789733852009-07-30T04:48:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:22:27.446+02:00

Coming October 6th via Equal Vision, one of the top post-hardcore/punk outfits, The Fall of Troy, is giving us In The Unlikely Event. In an attempt to dispel rumors, the band gives a studio update assuring us that, yes, screaming will be on the album. And a mysterious lump covered by a blanket. Their last effort, Phantom on the Horizon, was a sprawling effort spanning out of their excellent

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-32280991739049514332009-07-29T21:17:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:28:51.632+02:00

Dropping September 22nd, get your pre-order on!

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-44772655094990201492009-07-28T21:18:00.002+02:002010-08-09T04:18:05.880+02:00

Dananananaykroyd, a name too eye-strainingly confusing to manually type out, released a new video for Some Dresses. Junior from Johnny Foreigner gave me their name to check out a while back in Paris. The video brings back the 1980s videos harder than Jake the Snake. Yay for Glasgow!

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-66072871516990545842009-07-27T17:45:00.002+02:002010-08-09T04:14:38.405+02:00

Briefly: Brother Ali has a new album, Us, coming out later this year. HHDX is confirming that Chuck D and Freeway will be on a couple of the tracks, hinting that it could top 2007's The Undisputed Truth. Johnny Foreigner, who's debut album garnered one of the top slots last year with breakneck drumming and organized pop-punky melodic chaos, also has a new album to be released in October. Grace

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-52325663085524957022009-07-26T04:01:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:35:13.289+02:00

The Nigerian Nneka transplanted to Germany a few years back, emerging with a pulsating, stunning piece below. Enjoy. There's a remix floating around, a bit harder hitting covered with rock guitars. The track came out on the No Longer At Ease album currently available via Amazon MP3. How this slipped under the radar, I don't know. Taken via a video posted on my friend Leif's blog.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-12738144424601236952009-07-24T17:45:00.004+02:002010-08-09T04:32:05.002+02:00

Minneapolis' P.O.S. traversed the St. Croix over to Saint-Ouen just north of Paris' péripherique highway in support of his stellar Never Better, released earlier this year via Rhymesayers. The club is tucked away but still saw a strong showing including a couple more Minnesotans. The French were stolen away by his rhymes, expressing surprise and admiration over this "new style" of hip-hop that

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-34962681679203945132009-07-24T01:02:00.002+02:002010-08-09T04:05:48.162+02:00

This crossed my mailbox earlier in the week and peaked some attention in the "Finland has punk music?" category. I was hesitant until listening to the music, which has the Swedish (forgive me Finland) punk touch to it in being stop-go, slightly disjointed, but cohesive all around. Disco Ensemble just released the Back on the MF Street via Paper Tiger AV label in North America. They already have

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-7853622866436452222009-07-16T01:44:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:25:30.092+02:00

In the art of catchin' up and comin' just after the spinning iTunes' D45 tidbit, DJ JS-1 has been rallying up the sunny days dominated by rails and trams. More bumping, less experimenting than Jake One's White Van Music, No Sellout is now available. JS-1 is the tour DJ for KRS-One. The remix is fresh, while Nuthin' dropped a short time ago. MP3: DJ JS-1 (feat. CL Smooth, Brother Ali, and Sadat

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-24459293332355333312009-07-15T17:29:00.000+02:002009-07-15T17:29:40.807+02:00

I'm back in Chicagoland after being in Europe since January. Monday was the first time I actually set foot in the Obama America and, as with the guy next to me on the flight back, we were wondering what exactly America's like nowadays. Still kinda jetlagged to get that feeling down in words. The last few weeks postings have been minimal for a reason. The reason? Travel to all these towns:

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-55058877289718013862009-07-15T17:07:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:25:14.356+02:00

Yesterday New Music Tuesdays (Mardi Melodies in iTunes France) debuted a new salvo of sound in the form of Digital 45s. Those flippy black disks are back, digitized, heavily featuring tracks from the 1980s and earlier when you could actually find 45s in stores with relative ease. I may be young, but I did hunt them down when I was 5 to fill up my dad's 1970s juke box, which runs to this very day.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-70491794925366125582009-07-06T14:33:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:04:47.813+02:00

My mad tan and sore feet bely the fact I'm still running around this world, specifically around Haute-Savoie, France and Geneva, Switzerland. While waiting for things to calm down, go celebrate Fifth Element's new store through a brand new, free Leak At Will EP from Atmosphere. 4th of July was spent in Genève at the Lake Festival, aka the Techno Parade. Float after float after float of pavement

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-10868237127071226872009-06-19T13:34:00.002+02:002009-06-19T13:36:50.474+02:00

Right about now I am boarding a TGV in Gare de l'Est towards Strasbourg. Off in the world again to experience bratwurst, pretzels, fondu, chalets, and the 4th of July Geneva, Switzerland-style! Apparently there's baseball and fireworks, ooooooh yeah... Updates will be intermittent.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0IIe arrondissement, Paris, France48.86832824998007 2.353734970092773448.861270749980065 2.3391439700927736 48.87538574998007 2.3683259700927732tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-38921555218996109302009-06-17T11:40:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:04:53.119+02:00

MTV2's celebrating Twin Cities Week, highlighting the sound churnin' constantly out of Minneapolis & St. Paul for the past decade plus. The scene up there is built from the ground up, without the financial aid of major labels. It perfectly shows the vibrancy of not only the musicians, but the artists in general in those cities. The vid below is the intro with the link leading to live performances

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-13651243968841578622009-06-16T17:00:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:03:35.129+02:00

And 2 1/2 weeks later, the internet's back in my flat in time to give you all this treat. Wax Tailor, one of the top DJs in recent memory due to his fusion of jazz and hip hop, is back this September with his third album, In the Mood for Life. He just unveiled the single, Say Yes, featuring UK's ASM (who previously collabed with him on Positively Inclined). How he has not exploded in the States

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-23753771351535243622009-05-25T11:40:00.002+02:002010-08-09T04:05:00.563+02:00

Last night, Rhymesayers Entertainment threw the massive hip-hop festival Soundset '09 over in Canterbury Park, about 30 minutes outside of Minneapolis. Featuring the likes of Atmosphere (the flagship of the Twin Cities scene), P.O.S., Jake One, Sage Francis, EL-P, and MF DOOM, the crew at Rhymesayers can really pull in everyone. If you don't know or believe the Midwest has a hip-hop scene that

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-24236961600204015562009-05-24T18:39:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:26:53.124+02:00

Admittedly I'm a lil' behind, but deservedly after six exams in the past week. Del the Funky Homosapien recently released a "on the house" album, which you can cop it here. Usually these free albums don't feature any singles or the like, but it's Del! Get his latest below. MP3: Del the Funky Homosapien - Get It Right Now

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-51882929386571933102009-05-16T10:44:00.006+02:002010-08-09T04:33:44.083+02:00

There are pluses and minuses to living in Paris. Minus, you're in the #2 most expensive city to live in in terms of cost of living (Chicago, you're #6). Pluses? The food, bien sûr. The concert life; a healthy mix of everything from everywhere. The art scene; traditional and eccentric. Two of those three converged for all of last week up at a small gallery in Montmartre where former Pulp

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-68789217648208272742009-05-15T11:21:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:21:38.108+02:00

I ran across this vid this morning via my friend Leif's blog . Rapper Nyle brings a one-take crescendo of a hip hop video unlike what I've seen before. Totally worth sharing with y'all. Dudes actin' like they street when they barely sidewalk.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-18220785170381324112009-05-14T21:12:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:26:48.102+02:00

Earlier I wrote about the upcoming tour from Sandpeople, a 10-member hip hop crew from Portland, Oregon. All for collectives, they're gearing up to release a 9 track EP entitled Long Story, Short... on May 26th via Sandpeople Music. They just unveiled the first single off the EP and it's a confirmation that they'll be something real notable this year. Solid piano-driven hip hop all 'round! MP3:

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-86204534229671978342009-05-09T15:58:00.002+02:002010-08-09T04:06:10.527+02:00

The Felix Culpa, a former 3 piece from the Northwestern 'burbs of Chicago/Rockford/Beloit, Wisconsin just unveiled a nice gift for those faithful listeners. As a thanks for sticking around the past 4 years since the release of Thought Control, So So Remission is now available for free or for a donation. For those new listeners, the Culpa have been around since the early 2000s, winning the Ernie

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-64785582137683879342009-05-07T21:00:00.002+02:002010-08-09T04:00:17.798+02:00

Glaz'art is a unique venue in Paris. Of course there's art gracing the walls, but atypically these are pieces you can actually purchase instead of look at. Granted, they're out of my price range by...miles...it gives the place authenticity. Other than the fantastical ceiling lights, or globes of bubbling water akin to a luminous fish bowl, the place is small reminiscent of say, the Empty Bottle

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0Glaz'art, 7 Avenue de la Porte de la Villette, 75019 Paris, France48.8983081 2.386377848.8947816 2.3790823 48.9018346 2.3936733tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-19479368161604431472009-05-07T17:40:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:21:32.970+02:00

Comin' off of his free album Funk Man: The Stimulus Package, Del the Funky Homosapien just put up the first single and video off it. Same good vibe of Del, though not as entertaining as his I'm Smellin' Myself song off his version of an economic stimulus.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-75868988066842947482009-04-30T01:08:00.003+02:002010-08-09T04:04:15.262+02:00

Talk about fresh new talent. The up-and-coming sweet chanteuse, Charlie, performed her first big headlining concert in a packed Café de la Danse in Paris. Selling out about 300 places is remarkable without having an album nor single for sale yet (her debut will be released June 8th). Regardless, you would not have known that this was the Lyon-based singer's big headlining debut, handling the

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0Café de la Danse de la Musique et des Arts, 23 Rue de Lappe, 75011 Paris, France48.8537412 2.372817548.8502117 2.365522 48.8572707 2.380113tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-9874706217779599832009-04-29T16:25:00.002+02:002010-08-09T04:15:02.102+02:00

With their debut album, The Golden Spike, already released via Wichita Recordings in the UK, Sky Larkin just announced their follow-up...A CASSETTE! Well, not exactly a full length but you should be just as excited! It's now available for pre-order, including an instant digital download of Side A. You're also given three options for the art, one for each band member. There's a quality remix on it

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-3045929786395182772009-04-25T21:06:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:08:10.296+02:00

Def Jux, home of Aesop Rock, will be dropping A Miraculous Kind of Machine from NYC's Junk Science. It's a bit over the top, but in a fun way, in using the fisheye lens, but hey-it's fun rap! Always a fan of quirkiness, Junk Science celebrated a prior album release with a limited run of a craft brew from a Brooklyn brewery. How's that for marketing music??? Fire Drill Junk Science iTunes | 

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-76196838044281237832009-04-25T10:55:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:06:00.081+02:00

With Earth Day wrapped up weeks earlier and environmentalism on the mind, the concept around Iron Maiden's Somewhere Back in Time World Tour could shock some. Decked out in their own Boeing 757 dubbed 'Ed Force One', the band embarked on a global tour stopping both at familiar and far away locations supporting the release of Live After Death. Iron Maiden: Flight 666 is a documentary produced by

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-12566390644991919592009-04-24T15:38:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:18:14.487+02:00

I love debating the viability of international artists in the world marketplace, particularly in America. While some argue that the industry prevents international artists from our radio and markets, others see the internet started to erode that influence, allowing deserving musicians to crest those Atlantic waves and breach our shores. This year, Sophie Hunger could very well be one of the first

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0IIe arrondissement, Paris, France48.866535 2.340164948.8594775 2.3255739 48.8735925 2.3547559tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-29857173025120738512009-04-22T22:26:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:31:32.876+02:00

The 10-piece, Portland's Sandpeople, is gearing up for the release of their upcoming EP, Long Story, Short... this year with a West Coast tour. Dates are below, though they'll be cut down to 5 due to, among explanations, an upcoming fatherhood. Regardless, hit up the tour as the collective's been causing waves through working with the wordsmith Aesop Rock's producer, Sapient. Any hip hop

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-59126091580280604842009-04-15T08:39:00.000+02:002009-04-15T08:39:00.559+02:00

So, ain't going to Mexico or the Caribbean, but pretty close! Regularly scheduled programming to start up again after April 22nd. À plus!

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-80427603630777383612009-04-14T19:14:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:21:28.604+02:00

Walking through Monoprix today, a newly familiar single came on. Olivia Ruiz, born in Carcassonne in south western France, really hit the scene a couple years ago with La Femme Chocolat (The Chocolate Woman). The album garnered praise and awards, including the French equivalent of the Grammys' album of the year; 2006 Album de l'année in the Victoires de la musique Awards. Less than a year later,

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-8357959151836465962009-04-14T12:31:00.006+02:002010-08-09T03:57:37.396+02:00

I can't help but think of the RER when bouncing that rhyme off my head. Here's a rundown of some iTunes highlights this week, with brief impressions. The track title is iTunes. Ida Maria - I Love You So Much Better When You're Naked (Discovery Download) If you haven't heard Fortress 'Round My Heart, you're missing something in your life. This Stockholm-based girl has the fiery nature of UK's

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-43139502711801784452009-04-10T06:51:00.002+02:002010-08-09T03:59:21.098+02:00

Ben Lee at La Flèche d'Or (Gallery) The end of March brought, to Paris, the end of the real winter cold, Ben Lee, and unfortunately closed the curtain of La Flèche d'Or. La Flèche d'Or was a venue that closed a few days ago, an anguished moment both for Parisians and mes amis who discovered it during our stay in Paris. It's a small, intimate venue that is always packed, serving both cheap(ish)

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0Paris, France48.8566667 2.350987148.8001947 2.2342576000000003 48.9131387 2.4677166tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-26854471676209183732009-04-08T21:05:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:11:59.242+02:00

As jazzy as Madlib's Shades of Blue, Black Milk just dropped a new web-exclusive short track. Short and sweet, sometime's it's all we need. Enjoy! MP3: Black Milk - Mo Power Black Milk iTunes | MySpace | Official

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-5804042511385418682009-04-08T04:10:00.002+02:002010-08-09T04:20:13.201+02:00

Champions of this round of the MTVu Freshman 5 contest for their video Slooow, J*DaVeY announced their tour dates for the spring in Europe. Check 'em out below, as well as this NY Times review. Dates: 4/8 - Gramophone - London 4/9 - Paradiso - Amsterdam 4/10 - Dachstock - Bern, Switzerland 4/11 - Motel Mozaique - Rotterdam, Netherlands 4/12 - Cookies - Berlin 4/17 - Roxy - Wien, Austria 4/18 -

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-80083337852039029292009-04-07T18:43:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:21:23.914+02:00

And just yesterday the review was posted. I definitely prefer this video to the previous, as well as the track in general. Kero One Official | MySpace | iTunes

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-45691936723731587592009-04-06T05:00:00.014+02:002010-08-09T04:18:21.638+02:00

"It seems like it took forever for that sun to shine..." follows the lead on When the Sunshine Comes, the second track off of San Fran's up and coming Kero One's sophomore album. Dropping from his Plug Label, Early Believers attempts to wrap up all those anticipated feelings of the upcoming season in a record sleeve to let loose on every backyard barbeque bash. It's hitting the streets right on

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-43591553855544370512009-04-02T23:39:00.002+02:002010-08-09T04:26:43.899+02:00

What? It's on my mind now that I'm geographically smack dab in the center of these events. Del the Funky Homosapien just released his own 'economic stimulus' in the form of free AACs, MP3s, FLACs, take your pick, wrapped up in a free album called Funk Man (The Stimulus Package). Download it here.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0IIe arrondissement, Paris, France48.866535 2.340164948.8594775 2.3255739 48.8735925 2.3547559tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-57576575934035396642009-04-02T19:18:00.004+02:002010-08-09T04:10:50.720+02:00

Recently I had the wonderful opportunity to watch Felipecha perform near the Bastille; a quarter booming every night with clubs, restaurants, bars of every flavor. Felipecha is the project of Charlotte Savary and Philippe Chevallier, two chanteurs français that perform a heavily jazz-influenced French pop. Below is a snippet of my review, along with their first music video, taken from Radio Free

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8218420100391831729.post-30483950349528313342009-03-30T18:43:00.001+02:002010-08-09T04:20:08.087+02:00

Comin' off the double EP Beauty in Distortion / Land of the Lost, director Tomas Whitmore gives J*DaVeY's Slooow the visual treatment. A mix between flashin' red post-modern visuals and ease-back lounge lends a chill, warm feeling to the track. It's currently up for permanent rotation votation via MTVu: Vote Here as many times as you wish 'til Friday. J*DaVeY iTunes | MySpace | Official

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08600694439573233709noreply@blogger.com0