Terry Junior – It’s Been Too Long (Republic Hymn)

A Crow’s Mile – “Me Too”

Listen.

Alt-J First Ave Sept 7,2013; An Awesome Wave

Alt-J, By Terry Scott Niebeling

Alt-J blew people away at the First Ave venue last night, expectedly.  So what I will tell you is, if you can see them live, and you don’t take the opportunity, you are missing out.  Not to be presumptuous, but it’s factual-sorry.  

And that is about all I can say.  I mean I could tell you it was spiritual, it was enlightening, and it was something of a great act to witness, but you already know that.  I could really, but who is going to believe me?  It was all of those things and more.  They simply put on a great show, there is no doubt in my mind as to the reason why Alt-J sold out the Main Room both nights; not to mention the latter added date of Sept. 8th, it’s because they are truly amazing artists.  They take a simple yet classical sound and make it new, heavy, complex, and refreshing.  Seeing Alt-J makes me think of, if it were somehow possible, seeing Led Zeppelin, or Radiohead, maybe even Pink Floyd, before they became über famous/timeless, and impossible to see live. The crowd at First Ave got a stand up treat from this band on the rise.  Take the time to listen, and check them out in person.  It is something I won’t soon forget.

***

(Take in my words and the mediocre photos my Windows Phone could afford, and enjoy. That’s all you need to know.  There are more amateur camera phone photos and words below about time leading up to the show, thoughts, and lucky people getting in.)

Lord Huron opened to much delight.  Starting slow and eventually garnering enough energy to bring the lion’s share of the crowd into their set, and possibly into their loins.  I tweeted, before LH started getting a bit flashy, the tweet read something along the lines of “opening bands are like commercials while you wait for your favorite show to start.”  I could give a shit less about an opener band, especially at an Alt-J show; however, I was almost eating my words 10 minute later.  Hit me up at on Twitter:  @sirterryscott.  

How I came to love Alt-J:  

The story goes I went to smoke some with a friend after work and she would play An Awesome Wave over and over again.  One night I caught on, I said, “Play that song again.”  She did, then I inquired as to who and what they were.  I was amazed.  She had ripped the song from a torrent and sent me a downloaded copy.  I never actually used what she had sent me, I was occupied with pressing play and repeat play on Youtube, of Breezeblocks.  In turn I had found out the meaning to the song, and I had become entranced by the harmony, wave of sound, and sonic power of Alt-J.  89.3 The Current started playing one, then two, then three of their songs.  Now they play most of the album.  A friend later Facebook messaged me and gave me the scoop on the First Ave show.  Knowing they would sellout the venue I waited til the moment they became available, and then I made my purchase.  I should have bought 6, the limit, but I bought 3 instead.  I could have doubled my money.  I didn’t have enough dough that day though.  A few hours later all of the tickets were gone and I sat in satisfaction at my quick choice.  And that is how I got into the show.

Putting up the Triangles, By Terry Scott Niebeling

Standing outside in line people came up to me asking for tickets.  The interesting thing was there weren’t really any scalpers, but there were people asking for tickets.  A show so coveted that people bought the tickets for themselves and actually went to see good music.  Wow, some tickets online were as much as $200.  It must have been 5 people walked up and inquired.  By this time I had already bummed two cigarettes and a RedBull from some complete strangers ahead of me in line.  I was feeling great waiting in line at 7:30 pm, plenty of time to take in the hot night.  At home earlier while indulging in homework and horror films I sat on the couch sweating in our AC lacking one bedroom apt.  The fan blew its best, but it didn’t really help.  Sweat beaded and crawled down my face.  I changed my shirt a few times.  I took a shower and brushed my teeth.  I spoke German.  And then I went to wait in line.

With the extra two tickets I felt almost over prepared, which by my standards is almost impossible.  I waited until the day before to start the bidding.  Three people in all contacted me.  The tickets went to the most passionate.  Also, a few people whom I spoke with were too intimidated to bid on them, so I figured they must not have wanted to go really.

The lucky guests I brought drove two hours to get here on word of a promise to get tickets.  I thought of them as I waited in line.  I asked those who inquired about extra tickets how much they would pay.  They wouldn’t say, I am not sure if they got in.  I was about 15ft from the door when my guests arrived.  They were in disbelief, literally exalted at the idea they would see a band they loved.  Having been burned twice before T. was so happy.  I think as we came closer to actually getting in her spirits piqued.  She handed me the money the moment she arrived.  I enjoyed this.  The sky was pink, the line was long, and the day was cooling off.  Heat became a friend of every nook, cranny, and crevasse throughout the city proper.  The bike ride and the light material of my black button up were comforting.  The sunset stood aglow over the Hennepin Ave Bridge as I crossed 3^rd Ave, over the Mississippi, past pedestrians, and aside cars.  A glacier like cloud hung over the sun; a sort of arrowhead array of bright lights contrasting with deep purple clouds shadowing certain parts for quiet a large puppet show etched across the darkening horizon.  A line of clouds, directly above, shown soft and full, as they slipped through the sky.  Planes took off going in two different directions.  I biked South-ish to First Ave. to wait in line.  I watched the ground below slide past; rocks and broken glass reflected on how they had come to where they lie.  They watched all appreciatively as I went by.  

 

I was just biking to see a band I had wanted to see since I first heard a song.  

Summerfest 2013: The Lineup Returns to Championship Form

One of the greatest music festivals in the world recently returned as a championship contender when they released their lineup for 2013. Lately, the festival seemed to rely mainly on its prestige alone. After all, it is a festival that spans over 11 days and has more than 800 acts performing on 11 different stages. The festival is a vision of the great late mayor of Milwaukee, Henry Maier, who wanted a massively relative festival that would compare to the joyous Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. He started the tradition that became Summerfest in 1968.

The lineup has been lacking the innovative music that the youth and many more have gravitated towards in recent years. This year after they released their headliners at the Marcus Amphitheater I had mixed feelings. So I was a little skeptical when I received the E-mail that their complete lineup was out but said, “What the hell” and clicked the link. To my astonishment, I was really impressed. One thing that stuck out in my mind was that they got some major electronic, Indie rock and alternative rock acts. All whom are currently relevant in their respected industries. This list includes Pretty Lights, Diplo, Empire of the Sun, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Yeasayer and MGMT. They did this while still including a lot of the older talent (Alice Cooper, 311, Foreigner and Billy Idol) and mixing in many more talented up and comers.

Another thing you have to appreciate about Summerfest is the variety of music that they bring to the many ears attending the festival. They have done a great job blending country, pop, blue grass, electronic, rock and even a little bit of hip hop into the lineup. A few other artists that would be worth seeing are: Capital Cities, Atmosphere, Trampled by Turtles, Robert Delong, Matt & Kim, AWOLNATION, Imagine Dragons, Taliban Kweli and Cake. If you are the least bit interested after reading this head over to summerfest.com/lineup for a complete listing of this year’s lineup.

The D.O.T.-How We All Lie

After Mike Skinner put The Streets to rest after 5 albums I didn’t think I would hear much from the bloke.  I waited for some time, and nothing…  I followed Skinner on his blog http://mikeskinner.so and watched for him to put out something new.  Nothing happened…  I mean, there were some new posts and interesting photos, and words, but no music.  And then-a few months back, I became aware that I was literally on Mike Skinner’s personal emailing list.  A message popped up from one of my favorite anti-mainstream mainstream artists.  I had received an email from the man as if he had risen from the grave.  I was bestowed upon some great and inspiring new sound.  Kaboom!

And here it is in video form incase you missed it.  (above)

This catchy tune takes a few listens to warm up to.  You know I am crazy, so I sat around all day banging this shit out on loud, macbook style.  My GF got a little mad, by the end I was singing along (out of tune of course) and getting scolded.  I felt I knew the song and the artist a little more, I felt there was promise in this new material.  May I say I am a bit excited for the full length album?  I felt the video was entertaining (I had heard about this filming technique in Boulder, CO).  After listening to this song, and viewing the innovative video, I realized that what The D.O.T. was doing was actually pretty good.  I felt the same emotion that I had gotten from a lot of The Streets’ albums after the first and second listen, “Cult classic, not bestseller”.  But sales don’t matter, the sound is important, and this song is very catchy and has an incredibly memorable melody.  I woke this morning singing the chorus.

Before this message from Mike Skinner, I had little knowledge of The D.O.T., I assumed Skinner produced the songs.  I had no idea who the singer was.  So let me fill you in:

The D.O.T. Official Website

They have some interesting videos, venue tickets, downloadable songs, and other merchandise.

The D.O.T. project’s site is visually appealing and artsy, while remaining easy to navigate.

In all honesty I love how abstract and collectively cool Skinner is overall; most (universally), if not all of The Streets’ material is exceptionally well made, as Chuck Klosterman wrote-he (Skinner) is ‘advanced’ as an artist.  The music he puts out is real and relatable, there is an essence of humanity within his lyrics and delivery.  Also, Rob Harvey, of The Music, sounds great on vocals, and harmonizes well with Skinner.  At times I feel that Skinner wants to put more vocals into the song; however, it sounds pleasant the way it is presented.

Happily I am intrigued and I want to hear more.  If you could hook it up with a free CD, Mr. Skinner, that would be excellent, pre-release if possible???  Thanks.

Watch out for The D.O.T.’s new album “Diary” due to drop May 6, 2013.

Because Geezers truly need excitement.

R.I.P. Gavin Theory (January 30, 1985 – April 10th, 2012)

I’ll still never forget the first time I actually met Gavin and had an in-depth musical conversation with him. Gavin was with Lucas Dix, and they were performing a Hip-Hop show at a local bar in my hometown; to be clear, this was well before Lucas & Gavin moved out to Portland.

Having an entire family that is from Kenosha, Wisconsin, I was able to find some sort of common ground with both Lucas and Gavin almost instantly, but (no offense Lucas because you know I love your music) Gavin was the producer, and I was more interested in picking his brain. I remember having an intense discussion where we talked about everyone from J Dilla to El-P, and I was able to take a sneak peek into the mind of a genius. People have always said, “be confident, but never cocky”, and upon meeting Gavin, it’s possible that people (myself included) mistook the extreme confidence that he exuded for cockiness, but in all reality, he is one of the most humble dudes I ever met.

When I listen to Escaping Stasis I’m still blown away by everything that Gavin was able to accomplish on the boards before he started using the MPC; the ethereal quality of his music is incredible – and it always has been. The first time I listened to Edifice I was completely blown away; I couldn’t believe the sounds that I was hearing. It was almost as if Pete Rock and El-P had a love child, and Gavin’s production was the bi-product. Gavin laced Edifice with spacey synths and even more sublime samples – the stuff I love. In his short time with the MPC 2500XL, it seems as though he was able to master the machine that turned regular, ordinary men into legends, and it’s unfortunate knowing that I’ll never be able to see just how far he could have pushed the boundaries of Hip-Hop by punching the pads.

In remembrance of G-Theory’s passing, Lucas Dix let this brilliant gem loose that features Sandpeople crew member IAME. The track – “Po’est Pimpin” – contains one of the last beats that Gavin ever made, and it has his signature sounds succinctly spread all over the soundscape. Me and Lucas were discussing this beat, and although it’s a toned down version of what Gavin was capable of, we both agreed that anything Gavin made was truly exceptional.

Video: Danny Brown “Witit”

Okay, I know I’m a bit late on this post. This video came out last week, but I wanted to post it just in case you haven’t seen it yet. If you know anything about Danny Brown, you know he can get pretty wild, and this video is no exception. I saw him with A$AP Rocky and Schoolboy Q a few weeks back and it was one of the best shows I have ever been to. I’m definitely looking forward to his album “ODB,” which is going to drop in 2013.

9FIVE x Alchemist: Yacht Rock

Alchemist dropped a 12 minute album today through the sunglass company 9Five. It consists of two tracks and has the likes of Action Bronson, Roc Marciano, Oh No, Blu, Chuck Inglish, and Big Twins. 9Five also released a couple pairs of glasses exclusive to the project, and with them comes the vinyl for Yacht Rock. You can download the project here.

Reaction Editorial: Did Jay Electronica Ghostwrite for Nasty Nas?

Obviously, I’m a little late with this post because this whole whirlwind of speculations started last week. According to most of the articles that I’ve read, Jay Electronica was supposedly responsible for ghostwriting duties on Nas’s Untitled album; even more revealing, renowned Hip-Hop journalist Dream Hampton claims that Mr. Elec-Hanukkah could be responsible for more than meets the eye – at least 6 tracks. Of course, Mr. Elec-Yarmulke came out and publicly admitted (via Twitter) that the accusations were absolutely false, and Stic Man of Dead Prez followed suit. It’s hard to be clear if the rumor is true or not, but it definitely raises some valid questions in the Hip-Hop community.

The whole Hip-Hop universe seemed to be in a daze from dismay, but I’m still not sure how I feel about the news. Believe it or not, ghostwriting is a fairly common practice in Hip-Hop, and it really shouldn’t surprise anyone. Artists like Royce Da 5’9″ and Skillz have been writing for other rappers like P-Diddy and Dr. Dre for years. It had even been rumored that Gillie Da Kid wrote the vast majority of Lil’ Wayne’s hit album, Tha Carter. 

With that being said, let me pose this question: Why are people making a such a big deal of this particular issue?

The reasons – at least to me – are pretty clear.

Rappers that use ghostwriters aren’t usually considered by many as great lyricists. We all know that Dr. Dre, P-Diddy & Lil’ Wayne have sold millions of records worldwide, but the word “lyricist” doesn’t come to mind when thinking about their talents – performer is more applicable. If anything, ghost writers made their music more tolerable.

Nas is credited for writing one of Hip-Hop’s most magnificent manifestos – Illmatic. Even though the ghostwriting accusations don’t stem from Illmatic, it rubs me the wrong way to think that Nasty Nas had another emcee write his rhymes. Imagine if the scientific community found out that someone else wrote part of Aristotle’s work: all hell would break loose, and pandemonium would ensue. Nas is considered one of the foremost founders in the East Coast Hip-Hop scene, so this rumor holds a great deal of significance. Any way that you look at it, this whole issue is just a hard thought to stomach.

Nas is an artist that has withstood the test of time; even though a lot of people would consider some of his releases sub-par compared to Illmatic, he’s still considered one of the greatest lyricists of all-time – without question. If the ghostwriting rumors are true about Untitled, I can’t help but wonder if ghostwriting was prevalent in his previous releases. This whole controversy could end up becoming a slippery slope with no foreseeable end.

Even though Jay Elec’s good friend FWMJ verified that Jay wrote on Untitled, I still don’t know what to believe. This is what it all boils down to in my eyes: Back in 2006, Nas was bold enough to name his album Hip Hop is Dead; if he is guilty of using ghostwritten rhymes, then he might also be guilty of killing the very art form that personified his career.

Heatbeat, my life could use a little “Extra Bacon”; how about yours?

Heatbeat was first introduced to me earlier this year. The Argentinean duo’s “Rocker Monster” came at me through my car speakers with an aggressive edge. Matias Faint, 26, and Agustin Servente, 25, are the masterminds behind this DJ/Producer combo from Buenos Aires. In hearing this first single they started to peak my interest.

Then they gave my life a little “Extra Bacon”. This EDM banger has been stuck in my head like the thought of bacon is every morning when I get up. Any track that is named “Extra Bacon” better live up to all the hype because everybody could use some more bacon in their life to make it complete. The very thought of bacon is making me hungry for bacon and I need more… Bacon.

So check out their track “Extra Bacon” and continue to watch this unbelievable duo rise to electronic greatness.