sir mix-a-lot
03-01-2006, 08:17 PM
So you wanna know what each Decoy contributor is jamming this week? Take a long gander at this week's list and feel free to add what you guys are spinning too.
Aaron Lets His Soul Fly Free During: Jahi - Soulhop the Breakthru
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/jahi.jpg
Website: ( http://www.myspace.com/frednukes) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/soulhop)
Time to switch gears for myself a little bit. I came across Jahi on accident, but, boy, am I glad I did. Best described as Soul-hop, this flavor of hip-hop seems better for love-making than anything else. On first listen, I can compare Jahi greatly to Common, which definitely isn't a bad thing. Being on EMI Denmark, Jahi is barely popping up in or around the USA but it's about time people pay attention. Not all the songs are soulful and nookie-oriented; Jahi definitely can spit the rhymes. The lyrics are positive and insightful, the beats are simple and smooth. As a whole, the album keeps it fresh: 13 tracks of insightful hip-hop that will definitely define the new genre of Soul-hop as the next big thing.
Brent Needs To Stop Watching High Fidelity: Belle and Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/belleandsebastian.jpg
Website: ( http://www.belleandsebastian.com) :: Listen: (http://www.matadorrecords.com/belle_and_sebastian/music.html)
People who listen to Belle and Sebastian listen to Belle and Sebastian because of what can be found on this album: It's melodic, catchy, well-produced, and everything you've come to expect from a band that's reinvented itself more times than Cher has undergone plastic surgery.
Johnny Makes His Dramatic Return With Staggering Flair By Selecting: Strike.Fire.Fall - Still Life
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/strikefirefall.jpg
Website: (http://www.myspace.com/strikefirefall) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/strikefirefall)
Strike.Fire.Fall's debut album comes out next Tuesday and since Takeover Records won't do any promotion for them, I'm going to. The story on SFF goes like this: Penn State students playing in a band, band member slips demo to someone at Takeover Records at Warped Tour, band wins Takeover Records/Myspace Battle of the Bands, a year and a half later debut CD comes out with zero promotion...Anyway, the album, Still Life, is pop rock with an angular twist. It's unpredictable. It's fresh. It's catchy. It's instantly recognizable. It's a great start for a band who, with the right direction, can be players in the scene for years to come.
Chris Picks An Album That Sums Him Up Nicely: Quell - One Man's Struggle With The English Language
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/quell.jpg
Website: (http://www.myspace.com/quell) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/quell)
I know you must be thinking it’s getting ridiculous how this is the third out of four listening stations I’ve done where I’ve chosen a band from Good Fellow Records. Quell are just a small part of the consistently enjoyable label. With three outstanding guitarists, a wicked good bass player, a non-stop ridiculous drummer, and monstrous voice to lead the pack, this band is something to talk about. It’s more than fun to sit down and listen to what each guitar part is displaying. Almost always on the album, all three guitars are doing something different, yet the songs still remain to sound tight, and not out of focus. The band pumps out grindcore parts to tech metal to even lighter screamo sections where the back up cries, expressed by two of the three guitarists, really shine through. I have to mention that one of the most beautiful picking parts I’ve ever heard lies in the middle of the final track “Circumventing Language Barriers by Speaking Louder”. It’s simple yet at the same time the guitars weave in and out of each other, and not one measure sounds exactly the same as the other. Quell have done a great job of putting three guitarists to good use. It has to be a tough task to do, but I don’t think many more bands will pull it off as well as they have.
Jayme Knows Word Of Mouth Starts At Home: Fixed Til Tuesday - Aww Son
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/fixedtiltuesday.jpg
Website: (http://www.myspace.com/fixedtiltuesday) :: Listen: (http://www.purevolume.com/fixedtiltuesday)
Fixed Til Tuesday is a local unsigned Christian screamo/metalcore band from Birmingham, AL; however, before you scoff and write them off, you might want to give them a listen. Frontman Patrick Schefano displays huge vocal versatility as he alternates between clean sung vocals reminiscent of Hidden In Plain View and June and passionate screams and growls like those you’re accustomed to hearing from Underoath and He is Legend. The instrumentation is equally as pleasing, as these guys refuse to settle into a casual verse-chorus-verse mindset and have a penchant for inserting enough breakdowns and metal riffs to please any kung-fu fightin’ scene kid. So, if you are a fan of any of the aforementioned bands or simply want to hear a solid Christian band that rolls southern-tinged metalcore and guitar-pop into one without masking their true beliefs, then be sure to order yourself a copy of Aww Son.
Brandon Merges His Love Of Hip-Hop With His Love Of Lutefisk With: MC Lars - The Graduate
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/mclars.jpg
Website: (http://www.mclars.com) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/mclars)
The emo scene kids are again able to pretend that they are "so into rap" with the new MC LARS disc. Lars takes shots at "crunk-rap", Hot Topic, the record industry, and even his own rhymes. Sure, this isn't Busdriver, nor Atmosphere, hell, it's not even Gym Class Heroes, but I think MC LARS knows that and he doesn't mind. He does what he does and he knows that not everyone will like it. I would say at least give it a run once or twice.
Ben Bridges The Generation Gap With: Space - Tin Planet
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/space.jpg
Website: (http://www.spacetheband.com) :: Listen: (http://www.spacetheband.com/downloads/#music-for-aliens)
I was down in Palm Springs this past weekend, visiting my dad and some of his wife's family and they spent the whole weekend making fun of my generation's music. I ceded control of the stereo to them, as they played 40s, 50s, and 60s pop and what would now be dubbed "easy listening" or "adult vocals" or whatever the hell you stuff Barry Manilow into (side note: Barry Manilow has a house down the street from where I was staying). To be honest, I don't really own much or anything of the music they were playing for me, but on the way back, I popped in Tin Planet and realized that, minus a few harder tracks and their disposition toward dancy disco-rebirth interludes, Space could very easily be something all of us could enjoy. "The Ballad of Tom Jones" practically speaks for itself. Witty, comedic lyrics, dark imagery, and way too many horns for its own good. I love calling Space what would happen if Mr. Bungle were fronted by Frank Sinatra if he did nothing but watch horror films and cartoons and get rejected by women. Perfect recipe for success.
Jared Overcame Technical Difficulties To Present: Anti-Flag - For Blood And Empire
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/antiflag.jpg
Website: (http://www.anti-flag.com) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/antiflag)
Anti-Flag never did seem like the kind of band that would end up on a major label. But last year, they announced they had signed to RCA. Immediately, people began screaming "sellouts." The band promised it had full control of what it could release and was determined to continue its rebellious message. Even this longtime fan was skeptical.
Well, it turns out there wasn't much to worry about. Anti-Flag is still Anti-Flag and the world can keep revolving. For Blood and Empire is a 13 track protest soundtrack. It's been 2 years since the last AF release. In that span, Bush and Co. have succeeded in many a blunder and have no doubt fueled every track on this record. If you're wondering about the sound, think of it as Terror State continued.
Aaron Lets His Soul Fly Free During: Jahi - Soulhop the Breakthru
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/jahi.jpg
Website: ( http://www.myspace.com/frednukes) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/soulhop)
Time to switch gears for myself a little bit. I came across Jahi on accident, but, boy, am I glad I did. Best described as Soul-hop, this flavor of hip-hop seems better for love-making than anything else. On first listen, I can compare Jahi greatly to Common, which definitely isn't a bad thing. Being on EMI Denmark, Jahi is barely popping up in or around the USA but it's about time people pay attention. Not all the songs are soulful and nookie-oriented; Jahi definitely can spit the rhymes. The lyrics are positive and insightful, the beats are simple and smooth. As a whole, the album keeps it fresh: 13 tracks of insightful hip-hop that will definitely define the new genre of Soul-hop as the next big thing.
Brent Needs To Stop Watching High Fidelity: Belle and Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/belleandsebastian.jpg
Website: ( http://www.belleandsebastian.com) :: Listen: (http://www.matadorrecords.com/belle_and_sebastian/music.html)
People who listen to Belle and Sebastian listen to Belle and Sebastian because of what can be found on this album: It's melodic, catchy, well-produced, and everything you've come to expect from a band that's reinvented itself more times than Cher has undergone plastic surgery.
Johnny Makes His Dramatic Return With Staggering Flair By Selecting: Strike.Fire.Fall - Still Life
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/strikefirefall.jpg
Website: (http://www.myspace.com/strikefirefall) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/strikefirefall)
Strike.Fire.Fall's debut album comes out next Tuesday and since Takeover Records won't do any promotion for them, I'm going to. The story on SFF goes like this: Penn State students playing in a band, band member slips demo to someone at Takeover Records at Warped Tour, band wins Takeover Records/Myspace Battle of the Bands, a year and a half later debut CD comes out with zero promotion...Anyway, the album, Still Life, is pop rock with an angular twist. It's unpredictable. It's fresh. It's catchy. It's instantly recognizable. It's a great start for a band who, with the right direction, can be players in the scene for years to come.
Chris Picks An Album That Sums Him Up Nicely: Quell - One Man's Struggle With The English Language
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/quell.jpg
Website: (http://www.myspace.com/quell) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/quell)
I know you must be thinking it’s getting ridiculous how this is the third out of four listening stations I’ve done where I’ve chosen a band from Good Fellow Records. Quell are just a small part of the consistently enjoyable label. With three outstanding guitarists, a wicked good bass player, a non-stop ridiculous drummer, and monstrous voice to lead the pack, this band is something to talk about. It’s more than fun to sit down and listen to what each guitar part is displaying. Almost always on the album, all three guitars are doing something different, yet the songs still remain to sound tight, and not out of focus. The band pumps out grindcore parts to tech metal to even lighter screamo sections where the back up cries, expressed by two of the three guitarists, really shine through. I have to mention that one of the most beautiful picking parts I’ve ever heard lies in the middle of the final track “Circumventing Language Barriers by Speaking Louder”. It’s simple yet at the same time the guitars weave in and out of each other, and not one measure sounds exactly the same as the other. Quell have done a great job of putting three guitarists to good use. It has to be a tough task to do, but I don’t think many more bands will pull it off as well as they have.
Jayme Knows Word Of Mouth Starts At Home: Fixed Til Tuesday - Aww Son
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/fixedtiltuesday.jpg
Website: (http://www.myspace.com/fixedtiltuesday) :: Listen: (http://www.purevolume.com/fixedtiltuesday)
Fixed Til Tuesday is a local unsigned Christian screamo/metalcore band from Birmingham, AL; however, before you scoff and write them off, you might want to give them a listen. Frontman Patrick Schefano displays huge vocal versatility as he alternates between clean sung vocals reminiscent of Hidden In Plain View and June and passionate screams and growls like those you’re accustomed to hearing from Underoath and He is Legend. The instrumentation is equally as pleasing, as these guys refuse to settle into a casual verse-chorus-verse mindset and have a penchant for inserting enough breakdowns and metal riffs to please any kung-fu fightin’ scene kid. So, if you are a fan of any of the aforementioned bands or simply want to hear a solid Christian band that rolls southern-tinged metalcore and guitar-pop into one without masking their true beliefs, then be sure to order yourself a copy of Aww Son.
Brandon Merges His Love Of Hip-Hop With His Love Of Lutefisk With: MC Lars - The Graduate
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/mclars.jpg
Website: (http://www.mclars.com) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/mclars)
The emo scene kids are again able to pretend that they are "so into rap" with the new MC LARS disc. Lars takes shots at "crunk-rap", Hot Topic, the record industry, and even his own rhymes. Sure, this isn't Busdriver, nor Atmosphere, hell, it's not even Gym Class Heroes, but I think MC LARS knows that and he doesn't mind. He does what he does and he knows that not everyone will like it. I would say at least give it a run once or twice.
Ben Bridges The Generation Gap With: Space - Tin Planet
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/space.jpg
Website: (http://www.spacetheband.com) :: Listen: (http://www.spacetheband.com/downloads/#music-for-aliens)
I was down in Palm Springs this past weekend, visiting my dad and some of his wife's family and they spent the whole weekend making fun of my generation's music. I ceded control of the stereo to them, as they played 40s, 50s, and 60s pop and what would now be dubbed "easy listening" or "adult vocals" or whatever the hell you stuff Barry Manilow into (side note: Barry Manilow has a house down the street from where I was staying). To be honest, I don't really own much or anything of the music they were playing for me, but on the way back, I popped in Tin Planet and realized that, minus a few harder tracks and their disposition toward dancy disco-rebirth interludes, Space could very easily be something all of us could enjoy. "The Ballad of Tom Jones" practically speaks for itself. Witty, comedic lyrics, dark imagery, and way too many horns for its own good. I love calling Space what would happen if Mr. Bungle were fronted by Frank Sinatra if he did nothing but watch horror films and cartoons and get rejected by women. Perfect recipe for success.
Jared Overcame Technical Difficulties To Present: Anti-Flag - For Blood And Empire
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/antiflag.jpg
Website: (http://www.anti-flag.com) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/antiflag)
Anti-Flag never did seem like the kind of band that would end up on a major label. But last year, they announced they had signed to RCA. Immediately, people began screaming "sellouts." The band promised it had full control of what it could release and was determined to continue its rebellious message. Even this longtime fan was skeptical.
Well, it turns out there wasn't much to worry about. Anti-Flag is still Anti-Flag and the world can keep revolving. For Blood and Empire is a 13 track protest soundtrack. It's been 2 years since the last AF release. In that span, Bush and Co. have succeeded in many a blunder and have no doubt fueled every track on this record. If you're wondering about the sound, think of it as Terror State continued.