Both EDC and Coachella are sold out. Slowly, the scene continues to drown under a dogpile of dubstep worshipping fratheads and camera toting, half naked, facebook-beezies. Let me tell you, there was once a time when loud, bass n’ rage bangers were the thing, but those days have long passed. As the summer quickly approaches, the real kids get ready to disco.
The goose that is Fat Possum Records has laid yet another golden egg, or more accurately signed another golden egg. When I read that Brighton’s one-man show Gross Magic sported “the pop sensibility of ELO, the grunge riffs of early Nirvana, the care-free adolescence of Loser-era Beck and the lo-fi production of Ariel Pink” I called bullshit. There’s no way you can package so many good things together well without those sounds competing and violently erupting in a heinous chaotic mess of sound. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that the description is actually quite accurate. (I might add Girls into the equation though.) Initially I was half expecting his debut EP Teen Jamz to be one of those things you turn on, give one ear to and kinda skip through without paying it much mind. On the contrary I found myself turning it on and listening to it all the way through, giving it my full attention the whole time. It’s mesmerizing. Treat your ears, buy the album. It comes with three bonus jamz. This guy’s gonna be big.
The goose that is Fat Possum Records has laid yet another golden egg, or more accurately signed another golden egg. When I read that Brighton’s one-man show Gross Magic sported “the pop sensibility of ELO, the grunge riffs of early Nirvana, the care-free adolescence of Loser-era Beck and the lo-fi production of Ariel Pink” I called bullshit. There’s no way you can package so many good things together well without those sounds competing and violently erupting in a heinous chaotic mess of sound. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that the description is actually quite accurate. (I might add Girls into the equation though.) Initially I was half expecting his debut EP Teen Jamz to be one of those things you turn on, give one ear to and kinda skip through without paying it much mind. On the contrary I found myself turning it on and listening to it all the way through, giving it my full attention the whole time. It’s mesmerizing. Treat your ears, buy the album. It comes with three bonus jamz. This guy’s gonna be big.
Even the best musicians often find difficulty in making a second album that surpasses its first, feeding off of hype and buckling under expectation. Taking into account the considerable success of his 2007 debut “Panic Prevention”—considered one of the hottest albums of 2007 and earning him the title of “the one-man Arctic Monkey”—you might think Jamie Treays’ (Jamie T) follow-up album would chase the trend, disappoint and ultimately go by unnoticed.
On the contrary, Treays again has stuck his middle finger to the establishment with his most recent chart climbing record Kings and Queens; he has nearly reincarnated himself in this atomic bomb of an album, straying from the gritty ragamuffin drum and bass of previous songs like “Sheila” and “Base Guitar.” It’s a punky, it’s poppy, it’s hip-hoppy, it’s raw, it’s in-your-face and it’s disgustingly catchy.
The album makes quite an entrance with the percussion and helium voiced chorus of “368,” a blunt and streetwise anthem about the milligrams of alcohol needed to be inebriated. The record then drops into the mystical and insanely catchy beat of “Hocus Pocus.”
“Sticks and Stones” is prime single material that will make on-the-fence listeners shameless fans. The tune is poppy and nostalgic as Treays recalls: “As I travel down the track all my memories flood back/ we were runnin’ at ease from enemies/and rushed back to your momma’s flat.” With hints of heartbreak and recovery—“I was hanging out with Louie in the shooting gallery/when the news got through to me about you and Jeremy/Pat on my back and a swig on my brew/You’re still my friend it’s impossible to hate you” the song is a musical manifestation of youth and folly.
Feeding off the energy of “Sticks and Stones” the album rolls over to “The Man’s Machine” an anthem of friendship, pain and who-knows-what. With hints of hip-hop and general Jamie T awesome-ness “Man’s Machine” is impossible not to sing along even if you haven’t a clue what it means to “Run, run boyo/Chase it to the border, border.”
The album reaches its pinnacle with the sunny, catchy-as-hell track “Spider’s Web.” Even if Treays does attempt to rhyme “dirty barbour” with “fits of laughter” and “intafada” with “strips in Gaza,” the song is utmost proof of Treays’ brilliance as a musician—it’s rhythmically captivating and lyrically luminous. The song revels in London life and the seeming indestructibility of youth, proclaiming: “Between a wheezing chest and a leaking ceiling/ Baby next door screaming all evening/ The beatings we got and the ones we’re seeking/We’re stubborn as fuck and I’m proud to say.”
Treays shows off his range as album takes an indie spin with “Chaka Demus” and even dabbles in acoustic heartbreak ballads with “Emily’s Heart” and “Jilly Armeen.” The album, as glossy and nearly flawless as it is, is not without its duds however. “Earth, Wind and Fire” and “Castro Dies” though almost catchy are swing-and-miss aim to reproduce The Clash.
The album as a whole is a booming success overflowing with a contagious lust for life that will leave you subconsciously smiling. Good luck getting these tunes out of your head.
8.0/10
Tracklist
1. 368
2. Hocus Pocus
3. Sticks ‘N’ Stones
4. The Man’s Machine
5. Emily’s Heart
6. Chaka Demus
7. Spider’s Web
8. Castro Dies
9. Earth, Wind and Fire
10. British Intelligence
11. Jilly Armeen
FULL POST
First off, sorry about keeping you guys in the dark this week. School’s been a beast this week, and HARD took it’s toll on me (more on that soon). Though, I come with good news…a new writer! I’m as excited as you are, and I’m assuming excited as fuck. It’s always so fresh to make someone else’s opinion live. And this is an opinion I can wholeheartedly back up. We’ve got almost mirror image music tastes, she told me about Hockey, which I’m still having trouble cutting down on, and she shares my undying love for The Strokes. If you can trust me, you can trust her. Welcome aboard Liz!
Even the best musicians often find difficulty in making a second album that surpasses its first, feeding off of hype and buckling under expectation. Taking into account the considerable success of his 2007 debut “Panic Prevention”—considered one of the hottest albums of 2007 and earning him the title of “the one-man Arctic Monkey”—you might think Jamie Treays’ (Jamie T) follow-up album would chase the trend, disappoint and ultimately go by unnoticed.
On the contrary, Treays again has stuck his middle finger to the establishment with his most recent chart climbing record Kings and Queens; he has nearly reincarnated himself in this atomic bomb of an album, straying from the gritty ragamuffin drum and bass of previous songs like “Sheila” and “Base Guitar.” It’s a punky, it’s poppy, it’s hip-hoppy, it’s raw, it’s in-your-face and it’s disgustingly catchy.
The album makes quite an entrance with the percussion and helium voiced chorus of “368,” a blunt and streetwise anthem about the milligrams of alcohol needed to be inebriated. The record then drops into the mystical and insanely catchy beat of “Hocus Pocus.”
“Sticks and Stones” is prime single material that will make on-the-fence listeners shameless fans. The tune is poppy and nostalgic as Treays recalls: “As I travel down the track all my memories flood back/ we were runnin’ at ease from enemies/and rushed back to your momma’s flat.” With hints of heartbreak and recovery—“I was hanging out with Louie in the shooting gallery/when the news got through to me about you and Jeremy/Pat on my back and a swig on my brew/You’re still my friend it’s impossible to hate you” the song is a musical manifestation of youth and folly.
Feeding off the energy of “Sticks and Stones” the album rolls over to “The Man’s Machine” an anthem of friendship, pain and who-knows-what. With hints of hip-hop and general Jamie T awesome-ness “Man’s Machine” is impossible not to sing along even if you haven’t a clue what it means to “Run, run boyo/Chase it to the border, border.”
The album reaches its pinnacle with the sunny, catchy-as-hell track “Spider’s Web.” Even if Treays does attempt to rhyme “dirty barbour” with “fits of laughter” and “intafada” with “strips in Gaza,” the song is utmost proof of Treays’ brilliance as a musician—it’s rhythmically captivating and lyrically luminous. The song revels in London life and the seeming indestructibility of youth, proclaiming: “Between a wheezing chest and a leaking ceiling/ Baby next door screaming all evening/ The beatings we got and the ones we’re seeking/We’re stubborn as fuck and I’m proud to say.”
Treays shows off his range as album takes an indie spin with “Chaka Demus” and even dabbles in acoustic heartbreak ballads with “Emily’s Heart” and “Jilly Armeen.” The album, as glossy and nearly flawless as it is, is not without its duds however. “Earth, Wind and Fire” and “Castro Dies” though almost catchy are swing-and-miss aim to reproduce The Clash.
The album as a whole is a booming success overflowing with a contagious lust for life that will leave you subconsciously smiling. Good luck getting these tunes out of your head.
8.0/10
Tracklist
1. 368
2. Hocus Pocus
3. Sticks ‘N’ Stones
4. The Man’s Machine
5. Emily’s Heart
6. Chaka Demus
7. Spider’s Web
8. Castro Dies
9. Earth, Wind and Fire
10. British Intelligence
11. Jilly Armeen
There’s no better excuse to road trip up to San Francisco with some of your best friends than for one of the more premier music festivals of the West Coast: Outside Lands. Pretty much everyone and there mom was playing in the spread out stages of beautiful Golden Gate Park (full lineup), but I had my heart mainly set on finally seeing The Strokes. I’d been wanting to see them for all of my music-listening/concert-going career, and I wasn’t about to let this opportunity slip away. I bought my ticket the instant I saw that they were on the bill. There was no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Going to San Francisco, and especially Golden Gate Park, is always an adventure. Nothing but good vibes coming from all angles and people in NorCal. I love it. I wasn’t able to get as many videos as I should have, because I was too pumped to be at the show. I’ll use my words to help you visualize what an amazing weekend it was for music in San Francisco.
Highlights of Outside Lands Through C+A+D‘s Eyes:
DAY 1
Bassnectar
So after we walked around what seemed like all of San Francisco to find the entrance of the fest, we were greeted with the hard-hitting beats of one of dubsteps finests, Bassnectar. Unfortunately, I was only able to catch the last few songs of his set, because I couldn’t find my damn way in to the park. This was my third time seeing him, if you want to count it, and I really can’t get enough. He’s one of the few dubstep artists I can see myself getting down to for an extended period of time. Dubstep has always been love it/hate it for me, but he just really knows how to stay consistently amazing. He takes a lot of classic songs that used to be on the radio (before it turned to absolute shit) and puts his spin on it to turn it into a heavy, yet enjoyable, dubstep track. He’s a must see for anyone that’s just getting into dubstep. He’ll for sure push you over the edge.
Tokyo Police Club
I missed Tokyo Police Club at Coachella this year, and I wasn’t about to let that happen again in SF. After the end of Bassnectar, we rushed over to to see them at the tightly packed croud at the Twin Peaks Stag (where the party was at for most of the fest). I’m not familiar with a lot of their songs, but they were really fun to watch and played everything I did know. They ended their set with “Your English Is Good,” and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
Wolfmother
There’s not very much I can say about Wolfmother, other than I need to see them again. I didn’t get to see their whole set, because we were running around and for what I did see, we were at the very side so I had a shitty ass view. They sounded AMAZING, and the singer was fucking awesome so I want to go see them again for real. Their best song was obviously “Woman,” and it was really cool to see them play it live. This MSTRKRFT remix is one of the better remixes that I’ve heard. Dance!
The Strokes
So, we got to the Twin Peaks stage for The Strokes a little later than I wanted to, but I was hoping Furthur would take most of the SF crowd to the mainstage. We got a pretty decent spot, but I wasn’t planning to stay there once the music started. I’d waited years to see these guys on stage, and they performed better than I could ever imagine. The light show set up was nuts, as they had a big screen in the back that showed tetris/pong/pacman and other visuals (see here). They played all their songs flawlessly. The solos were perfect. Julian’s voice was perfect. He was hammered as fuck by the way, which was to be expected and made it all the more entertaining. They were very much worth the wait, and I’m so happy to have knocked them off my list. From what I remember, the songs they played were: Is this it?, Someday, Reptilia, New York City Cops, Barely Legal, Soma, You Only Live Once, Juicebox, 12:51, Hard to Explain…pretty much everything I wanted/needed to hear. Let’s get that new album going, eh? Edit: Found the whole setlist here thanks to my buddy Taylor Rae.
DAY 2
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
This marks my third time seeing these guys, and I don’t think it’ll ever quite match up to the first, which was at Coachella. That was definitely more of a place for them than at Outside Lands, if you ask me. Anyway, I’m always down to see these guys. They always get really into it and sound amazing at the same time. Sometimes the singers try and talk to each other for the show, and it gets a little awkward when they mess up or don’t really improvise well. All in all, great band. Great sound. I recommend seeing them if they come around and you’re down with happy folk music.
Chromeo
I love Chromeo. These guys are so damn entertaining. The two play off each other and make for a really funny show. They’re comedians and musicians. That definitely puts them ahead of a lot of people. They came out with some really hard disco/dance renditions of their classic songs: Mama’s Boys, Bonafied Lovin’, etc. Definitely going to try and see these guys again if I have the chance. People who were walking outside of the event mobbed the fence to get down for Chromeo, because the entrance is about a 15 minute walk from there. I should have done the same, because I missed a lot of Edward Sharpe’s set because of it. Check out this interview my friends at West Coast Leak got at their show in Oregon right before they came down to SF.
Nas & Damian Marley
These guys were amazing. I saw a video of their performance on Jimmy Kimmel’s show which didn’t make them look that promising. On the contrary, they rocked the fucking show like none other. I was getting down with that reggae/hip hop combo. They transitioned off each other from genre to genre perfectly. From fence to fence, people were showing them the love they deserved, and I’m so happy I was fortunate enough to see them. I just picked up their album and am going to give it a shot. Maybe I’ll get a song or two on the next YOLO List.
Empire of the Sun
Ok. Where do I begin with this? Empire of the Sun could quite possibly take the cake for weirdest shit I have ever seen in my life. This performance was so much more than for the music. Straight up Cirque de Soleil shit. They had a bunch of dancers in scary/weird costumes doing scary/weird things for a straight hour. Sometimes, I feel like they would make the beat really hard to follow just to trip people out on purpose. This show was made to be seen on acid. Not condoning, just saying. Everybody around me was doing a lot more standing and staring than listening and dancing. Definitely YouTube videos of it if you haven’t already. Seeing them play “Walking on a Dream” was unreal. I’ve listened to that song so many times and have heard numerous remixes, but seeing them play it was definitely fulfilling. Through their whole set, they had a lot of glam rock/disco/classic rock jambalaya thing going on that was really interesting to watch. Was not expecting to be blown away to that level, but they definitely succeeded.
All in all, it was a damn good weekend. I had so much fun running around Golden Gate Park and just being in San Francisco. I love that place AND I love concerts. Win/Win. Couldn’t have asked to be with better friends to share the experience with. Definitely going to try and make it out there in the upcoming years, assuming the lineup is anywhere as good.
Bonus!
I couldn’t wait til the next post for these delightful treats. I’ve heard the song on numerous occasions in Soulwax and 2 Many Dj’s sets, but wasn’t ever to get my hands on it til I picked up the Calvin Harris essential mix. Lucky for you, I got both, and you need both. I’m pretty sure the essential mix is the reason I nailed my midterm today. I’ll be seein’ him at Haunted Mansion!
There’s no better excuse to road trip up to San Francisco with some of your best friends than for one of the more premier music festivals of the West Coast: Outside Lands. Pretty much everyone and there mom was playing in the spread out stages of beautiful Golden Gate Park (full lineup), but I had my heart mainly set on finally seeing The Strokes. I’d been wanting to see them for all of my music-listening/concert-going career, and I wasn’t about to let this opportunity slip away. I bought my ticket the instant I saw that they were on the bill. There was no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Going to San Francisco, and especially Golden Gate Park, is always an adventure. Nothing but good vibes coming from all angles and people in NorCal. I love it. I wasn’t able to get as many videos as I should have, because I was too pumped to be at the show. I’ll use my words to help you visualize what an amazing weekend it was for music in San Francisco.
Highlights of Outside Lands Through C+A+D‘s Eyes:
DAY 1
Bassnectar
So after we walked around what seemed like all of San Francisco to find the entrance of the fest, we were greeted with the hard-hitting beats of one of dubsteps finests, Bassnectar. Unfortunately, I was only able to catch the last few songs of his set, because I couldn’t find my damn way in to the park. This was my third time seeing him, if you want to count it, and I really can’t get enough. He’s one of the few dubstep artists I can see myself getting down to for an extended period of time. Dubstep has always been love it/hate it for me, but he just really knows how to stay consistently amazing. He takes a lot of classic songs that used to be on the radio (before it turned to absolute shit) and puts his spin on it to turn it into a heavy, yet enjoyable, dubstep track. He’s a must see for anyone that’s just getting into dubstep. He’ll for sure push you over the edge.
Tokyo Police Club
I missed Tokyo Police Club at Coachella this year, and I wasn’t about to let that happen again in SF. After the end of Bassnectar, we rushed over to to see them at the tightly packed croud at the Twin Peaks Stag (where the party was at for most of the fest). I’m not familiar with a lot of their songs, but they were really fun to watch and played everything I did know. They ended their set with “Your English Is Good,” and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
Wolfmother
There’s not very much I can say about Wolfmother, other than I need to see them again. I didn’t get to see their whole set, because we were running around and for what I did see, we were at the very side so I had a shitty ass view. They sounded AMAZING, and the singer was fucking awesome so I want to go see them again for real. Their best song was obviously “Woman,” and it was really cool to see them play it live. This MSTRKRFT remix is one of the better remixes that I’ve heard. Dance!
The Strokes
So, we got to the Twin Peaks stage for The Strokes a little later than I wanted to, but I was hoping Furthur would take most of the SF crowd to the mainstage. We got a pretty decent spot, but I wasn’t planning to stay there once the music started. I’d waited years to see these guys on stage, and they performed better than I could ever imagine. The light show set up was nuts, as they had a big screen in the back that showed tetris/pong/pacman and other visuals (see here). They played all their songs flawlessly. The solos were perfect. Julian’s voice was perfect. He was hammered as fuck by the way, which was to be expected and made it all the more entertaining. They were very much worth the wait, and I’m so happy to have knocked them off my list. From what I remember, the songs they played were: Is this it?, Someday, Reptilia, New York City Cops, Barely Legal, Soma, You Only Live Once, Juicebox, 12:51, Hard to Explain…pretty much everything I wanted/needed to hear. Let’s get that new album going, eh? Edit: Found the whole setlist here thanks to my buddy Taylor Rae.
DAY 2
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
This marks my third time seeing these guys, and I don’t think it’ll ever quite match up to the first, which was at Coachella. That was definitely more of a place for them than at Outside Lands, if you ask me. Anyway, I’m always down to see these guys. They always get really into it and sound amazing at the same time. Sometimes the singers try and talk to each other for the show, and it gets a little awkward when they mess up or don’t really improvise well. All in all, great band. Great sound. I recommend seeing them if they come around and you’re down with happy folk music.
Chromeo
I love Chromeo. These guys are so damn entertaining. The two play off each other and make for a really funny show. They’re comedians and musicians. That definitely puts them ahead of a lot of people. They came out with some really hard disco/dance renditions of their classic songs: Mama’s Boys, Bonafied Lovin’, etc. Definitely going to try and see these guys again if I have the chance. People who were walking outside of the event mobbed the fence to get down for Chromeo, because the entrance is about a 15 minute walk from there. I should have done the same, because I missed a lot of Edward Sharpe’s set because of it. Check out this interview my friends at West Coast Leak got at their show in Oregon right before they came down to SF.
Nas & Damian Marley
These guys were amazing. I saw a video of their performance on Jimmy Kimmel’s show which didn’t make them look that promising. On the contrary, they rocked the fucking show like none other. I was getting down with that reggae/hip hop combo. They transitioned off each other from genre to genre perfectly. From fence to fence, people were showing them the love they deserved, and I’m so happy I was fortunate enough to see them. I just picked up their album and am going to give it a shot. Maybe I’ll get a song or two on the next YOLO List.
Empire of the Sun
Ok. Where do I begin with this? Empire of the Sun could quite possibly take the cake for weirdest shit I have ever seen in my life. This performance was so much more than for the music. Straight up Cirque de Soleil shit. They had a bunch of dancers in scary/weird costumes doing scary/weird things for a straight hour. Sometimes, I feel like they would make the beat really hard to follow just to trip people out on purpose. This show was made to be seen on acid. Not condoning, just saying. Everybody around me was doing a lot more standing and staring than listening and dancing. Definitely YouTube videos of it if you haven’t already. Seeing them play “Walking on a Dream” was unreal. I’ve listened to that song so many times and have heard numerous remixes, but seeing them play it was definitely fulfilling. Through their whole set, they had a lot of glam rock/disco/classic rock jambalaya thing going on that was really interesting to watch. Was not expecting to be blown away to that level, but they definitely succeeded.
All in all, it was a damn good weekend. I had so much fun running around Golden Gate Park and just being in San Francisco. I love that place AND I love concerts. Win/Win. Couldn’t have asked to be with better friends to share the experience with. Definitely going to try and make it out there in the upcoming years, assuming the lineup is anywhere as good.
Bonus!
I couldn’t wait til the next post for these delightful treats. I’ve heard the song on numerous occasions in Soulwax and 2 Many Dj’s sets, but wasn’t ever to get my hands on it til I picked up the Calvin Harris essential mix. Lucky for you, I got both, and you need both. I’m pretty sure the essential mix is the reason I nailed my midterm today. I’ll be seein’ him at Haunted Mansion!
Amidst the clutter of mediocre rappers discussing tired topics, being able to capture a listener’s attention is harder than ever. Enter Warm Brew, four dudes from Venice Beach infusing a distinct taste of old school jams into a fresh sound. Their self-titled freEP dropped this morning on DJ Booth just in time to be enjoyed with the sunshine of summer. As with their previous release, Natural Spirit, production is on point here with Espy handling most of the tracks. Heavy bass lines set the tone throughout. Contrary to what their name suggests, all that comes to mind when it’s blaring through my headphones is: smooth and refreshing. Definitely some shit you wanna roll the windows down for and enjoy. Grab the whole thing below.
Amidst the clutter of mediocre rappers discussing tired topics, being able to capture a listener’s attention is harder than ever. Enter Warm Brew, four dudes from Venice Beach infusing a distinct taste of old school jams into a fresh sound. Their self-titled freEP dropped this morning on DJ Booth just in time to be enjoyed with the sunshine of summer. As with their previous release, Natural Spirit, production is on point here with Espy handling most of the tracks. Heavy bass lines set the tone throughout. Contrary to what their name suggests, all that comes to mind when it’s blaring through my headphones is: smooth and refreshing. Definitely some shit you wanna roll the windows down for and enjoy. Grab the whole thing below.
