Bon Iver on NPR Music Front Row

A few months ago, I wrote a tidbit about seeing Bon Iver live and said, "His reinterpretations of songs from albums are crazily complicated and stunning to hear live because some are such huge deviations from the originals. Others have slight changes that are memorable. He even reinterpreted his new songs!"

So if you haven't seen Bon Iver live, you now have probably the closest thing to it that you can possibly hear (because the sound quality of this live performance is phenomenal - BLAST it!):

I have been watching (and really, more just listening) this performance over and over and over again. I am so spellbound by the sounds and machinations of sounds that he manipulates and creates.

I hate throwing the word genius around, and I imagine Justin Vernon hates being called a genius more than anything, but this performance (which is VERY similar to what I go to see at The Fox) is something like a religious experience. Seeing something like this live invokes such passion and chills in me that I can only think of it as being genius.

Like I said, his interpretations of songs - like his country twanging "#29 Strafford APTS" or "Creature Fear" or one of my favorite Bon Iver songs EVER - "Beach Baby" (he didn't play Beach Baby at his show at The Fox, and I'm still devastated) - basically create new songs. 

I mean listen to #29 Strafford APTS from Bon Iver's recent album and then to this live version :

ALMOST nothing alike except for the lyrically gorgeous and irresistible hook:
A womb / An empty robe / Enough / You're rolling up / You're holding it / You're fabric now.

It was also great to hear him play "Heavenly Father," one of his one-off singles he wrote for the soundtrack to Wish I Was Here. He rocked it, but I have to say the acapella performance alongside (amazingly talented) The Staves takes the cake. Just a jaw dropping performance: 

The most memorable moment of the concert at The Fox - something that still gives me goosebumps thinking about - was "715 - Creeks." The band left the stage and Vernon stood alone with one bright light shining behind him, completely enveloping himself in darkness, a shadow of his own voice.

He manipulated and coaxed his vocals AND ONLY HIS VOCALS as the entire crowd stood completely silent, rapt in attention. You could barely hear a breath. No joke, I almost cried. it was that powerful.

A lot of people say that they don't get all the auto-tuning and particularly with a man like Justin Vernon's beautiful falsetto. But there's something fragile in the way he does it, hiding that beautiful voice behind something manufactured. You can hear his real voice bleeding through, trying to be heard. But it's mixed in a cacophony of tunes leaving the listener to wonder what emotions are behind it all. 

Let's also not forget to give Vernon's amazing band its fuckin' due. These guys rock. The horns, the drummers, the guitarists, and the backup vocals all play a huge role in this performance. 

Speaking of backup vocals, please give it up for Vernon's bandmate and friend of many years, Sean Carey who must be a brother to Vernon because Carey's voice is as angelic as Vernon's. Need proof? Check out another reinterpretation of theirs in this stunning live performance:

Whenever anyone doesn't seem to get all the fuss of live performances, please just point them to one of these videos.

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 71

We all have nostalgic albums that make us feel all warm and fuzzy inside, prompting slideshows in our minds of those times.

I still think of Band of Horse's Infinite Arms playing as I moved to Florida. I remember Third Eye Blind's debut album in the background of my sixth-grade life, playing Goldeneye on 64 and paintball in the woods of Leesburg, VA. Californication by the Red Hot Chili Peppers played on repeat as I visited one of my best friends who had moved to Switzerland. New Found Glory's self-titled album, Linkin Park's Hybrid Theory, and Incubus' Make Yourself and Morning View all curated my high school days. Paul Simon's Graceland and Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation were two of the first albums I ever remember hearing as my mom played them constantly in the background of my childhood. I could write a book about the albums of my life as each one had such an impact on me and a memory instilled.  

Then there's Acceptance. Who only had one album - the always and forever amazing Phantoms released in 2005. This album reminds me of my college days and very specific days and nights spent listening to this album, a girl I had a crush on, road trips jamming along to the tracks (I still know all the lyrics!), and just provides an overall warm feeling when I hear them. 

Acceptance had one of those wild cult followings which you may not have ever known about if you didn't know them. But people LOVE these guys. And out of nowhere, in 2017, twelve years after their debut, they decided to release their sophomore effort.

The new album reminds me of the heyday of my (and their) past, and they still make some great upbeat alternative rock (think The Juliana Theory-ish rock - SPEAKING OF, another amazing indie band from my high school days. Both Understand This Is A Dream and Emotion Is Dead are still amazing!) tracks that get you in a sing-songy rocking kind of way. My two favorite tracks from their new album are on this mixtape along with my favorites from their first album.  

If you have never heard of these guys, please do yourself a favor and dive in. It won't be nostalgic for you, and it may even sound a little dated (I actually think it has stood the test of time really well! I can't really say that for New Found Glory and Linkin Park though). 

But maybe, just maybe, you'll listen to them and get into them just like I did twelve years ago. And twelve years later, maybe you'll sit back and remember the time you read some dude's blog and were at a certain point of life, a mark in the map of life.

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 70

It's been quite the weekend - I just got back from the Oregon vs. Rhode Island NCAA March Madness game in Sacramento. What an unbelievable game. Oregon had absolutely no reason winning. They were outplayed in pretty much every facet of the game, but they continued to hang in there as the 11th seeded Rhode Island team smacked them around - at one point during the game RI went 17 of 21 in shots. ON FIRE!

Rhode Island was playing with nothing to lose and Oregon had all the pressure on them and were clearly faltering under it. It is remarkable to witness the psychological warfare that goes on at a live event like that. Oregon fans were losing their minds and SO negative the entire game. These are just KIDS that these people are screaming at. The players had to have felt the negative energy.

Meanwhile, the Rhode Island fans were going nuts and the players were playing with utter abandon and joy to be in the tourney with the opportunity to knockout such a huge team like Oregon.

Once the game got really tight in the last two minutes, it was Rhode Island's turn to feel the pressure. What once felt like walking on water, they now had saw the possibility of letting the game slip away. The pressure was too much for them to handle. In the end, Oregon pulled off the win with a ridiculously clutch three from G Tyler Dorsey. And the crowd went crazy.

Kudos to both teams. That was probably the best college basketball game I've ever attended, and the first March Madness game of my life. I recommend it to all. You can only hope for a crazy game like that. 

Now listen to some music!

Monday Mixtape Vol. 69

"Slide," the new track from Calvin Harris, Frank Ocean, and Migos has to be an early contender for song of the year. I assume this is going to be a huge hit everywhere (if it isn't already) because HOW CAN YOU NOT LIKE THIS SONG?? 

Hippo Campus was a band I wrote about one whole year ago when they released a super catchy EP and compared them to Vampire Weekend and Local Natives. With the release of their debut album a week ago, the comparisons to Vampire Weekend will surely continue while the songs continue to keep me bopping my head. These guys just make you feel good listening to them. Their music puts a smile on your face and also plays as great background music with its balance of upbeat but chill vibes. Def start digging into this album if you like the two tracks from this week's mixtape!

John Mayer released part 2 of his EP, and I definitely enjoy it more than the first one. "Helpless" sounds like a b-side from his "Heavier Things" and "Continuum" era albums. This has that catchiness of a "Vultures" a similar little guitar lick. When he's on, Mayer makes some great pop music with a touch of blues.

I told you I would have another Future song on this mixtape! He released his second album in two weeks (and was rumored to be dropping in three albums in three weeks - but that didn't happen)   and I've been listening to it non-stop. I can't particularly describe why I like Future. I remember not liking his music when I first started listening to him, but as I began to accept his auto-tuned voice, I started to hear his different rhythms and flows and ability to ride with a song. "Incredible" is Future with a little reggae beat and a hook that keeps you coming back for more.

Circa Waves' 2015 album was a really fun uplifting album that always makes you feel like you're soaking in sun at the beach. See: T-Shirt Weather:

Their music is not particularly original or transformative, but it just feels good to listen to. They have a ton of energy, and this single from their upcoming album gives them a bit more grit and rock n' roll. Excited for the album. 

Have a good week! 

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 68

Hello, hello! Currently watching the Oscars where JT as usual put on quite the performance. Jimmy Kimmel sounds very tired, however, and most of his jokes have been pretty lame. So let's get on to the music!

I had to add more songs to this week's mixtape from the new albums from both Ryan Adams and Future. As Ryan Adams was once know to be a prolific young songwriter releasing many albums over a short span of time, Future has now taken that reign and released a new album ONE WEEK later after the release of his self-titled album. I have yet to even digest the new one, but I will probably add some new stuff in the coming weeks. And if you don't like Future, I understand, but I would also say give the guy a chance and embrace some different music.

I haven't ever listened to Laura Marling, but I have read some stuff on her new album and was intrigued. "Wild Fire" is a track off that new album, and she sounds like an artist I may have to dive into. 

Had to add a little dance music so I included an AlunaGeorge remix to get those hips moving. 

Have a good week all!

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 67

I gotta start this mixtape with Lupe. The first track off his new album, "Dopamine Lit (Intro)" is a banger. Lupe attacks the track "Mural" style with wordplay and words stacking on each other like a Jenga tower. He also gives a shout out to Frank Ocean with a line. "Jump" is another banger like an old school Lil' Wayne track with storytelling.

Lupe's new album, however, is a total mess. There is absolutely no continuity when a song like "Jump" is accompanied by poppy rap-r&B slow jams that sound like a duet with Ed Sheeran and Milli Vanilli. Half the album is awesome and half sounds like a record label required Lupe to have eight shitty pop-rap songs. If this album only included the great rap, it would have been quite the follow-up to his amazing last album, Tetsuo & Youth. Alas, that did not happen. 

Ryan Adams just release this new album! And it's great, I have really been enjoying it and still need to listen to it much more. I think the first track from the album, "Do You Still Love Me?" is the best song on the album. That's why it is on the mixtape. But it's worth some listens. 

Future decided to drop a surprise album, and I gotta say, the album sounds different than his other stuff. He's moved to some different beats and quicker flows, sounding a little less codeine-influenced and more of some sort of upper drugs that he may enjoy. "Draco" is my favorite song, an upbeat thumper. 

Real Estate has a new album coming out. They lost guitarist Matt Mondanile to his great solo project Ducktails, but it's still sounding like they haven't missed a beat. Their last two albums have been really fantastic and complete, the total opposite to Lupe, their albums flow like packed rivers. 

This song from London Grammar sounds a bit like Temper Trap and a bit like them. Her vocal chops are legit.

To end the mixtape, I'm leaving you with Charlotte Day Wilson, a sultry singer I first heard on Badbadnotgood's album then heard on a Local Native's remix of my favorite song from their new album, "Dark Days." This song is sexy.

Vince Staples Interviewed by Tyler the Creator

I've listened to two interviews this week - one with Ryan Adams on Marc Maron's podcast WTF and one with Vince Staples on Tyler the Creator's show - and I was blown away at the honesty and matter-of-fact voice that these two guys had with their hosts.

I've written a ton about my love of Vince Staples over the years, and his insight into his world and rap and artistry is very interesting and certainly worth your time. It's a little hard to hear some of Tyler's questions because apparently he forgot how a microphone works or can't listen to the headphones on his head, BUT Staples' answers almost barely need a question because whatever he says is compelling. I did not feel like watching all 33 minutes at 1130 at night, but I couldn't turn it off. Needless to say, I'm very interested to hear his next album as it was apparently inspired by incessantly watching American History X, one of my favorite movies of all time, and trying to provide a landscape based on the feelings he got from that movie. I imagine it'll be pretty dark with maybe a little light at the end of the tunnel. So take a look below if you're so inclined.

There's a strange parallel here with all the "fake news" bullshit that's getting peddled by Agent Orange (who I will say brilliantly turned the actual fake news into a bad word to use against the liberals and succeeded in doing so): artists themselves seem to view the Pitchfork's of the world and all the blogs as fake news to a degree. I say this because they are barely ever forthright in interviews with these publications. I've never read an article on Vince Staples where he speaks as honestly as he does on Tyler's show. So why is that? 

I assume it's about trust and manipulation. I assume Vince trusts Tyler since they've known each other for a while and Vince assumes that Tyler is not trying to manipulate what he says to exploit him for page clicks and money. Instead, he's doing it to create a dialogue.

I can't chastise the Pitchfork's and Stereogum's for trying to make money, but any music fan can clearly see that the good articles on artists are those artists that have no publicity and therefore need a platform to speak so they'll speak honestly. Otherwise, people don't want to be used as headline bait to turn a thousand bloggers into pissed off Twitter trolls who turn the popular consensus against the artist. It's not worth it and many times it will happen beyond their control.

Pitchfork and Stereogum (and almost every other blog for that matter, so please don't think I'm just trying to pick on them AND YES I KNOW ALERT - I am aware that all I do is repost shit for people to see, read, and hear, but I am getting paid nothing for any of this and do it purely because of my love for art and joy of doing it all and the small bit of hope that I get thinking a few of you enjoy listening and reading this blog, AND I get a few brownie points because I do have some original writing and pictures so it's not ALL plagiarized) have turned into regurgitated news that they aren't creating but instead reposting from other sources with click-baity headlines.

Every once in a while we'll get a long form article which can be great. And I have no idea about the economics of this all, but I imagine the writers get paid barely nothing and a few people at the top are making good money and doing so because they've pushed out artistry and demanded clicks and shit that most of the writers feel terrible having to write about. People got to make a living, but i think the lesson is it hurts the artist from helping create a dialogue - like the things Staples is saying here - to a wider audience. Granted, this Staples interview has 400k views so the message is getting across, but I still think if the trust was there between artists and music blogs/publishers, the dialogue would be better. 

SO instead of revealing themselves to fake music news blogs, these artists turn to their own mediums and people of trust to speak honestly. At least that's what I'm gathering because I was blown away with the uncensored stuff Vince Staples was saying. And I was amazed at how open and easygoing Ryan Adams was about his whole life in his interview with Marc Maron.

So with all that being said, yes, Agent Orange, fake news is real.

Enjoy:

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 66

I just started watching the Grammy's and have seen Adele stop her performance because admittedly she sounded off (she started over again) and Chance the Rapper win for Best Rap Album. It was awesome to see Chance win the award considering Coloring Book was a mixtape and never released on any record label. To the indie artists!

Tribe also had an awesome performance dedicated to "Agent Orange" and played their anthem "We the People," a reminder that despite the hate and division that is created, we the people - all the people - will always stand strong and resist the power to divide.   

Anyways, it's the start of the music year and there's a ton of albums slated to come out in 2017 as detailed at Pitchfork and Steregum. My list of most anticipated albums within the lists:      

1. Fleet Foxes
2. Arcade Fire
3. Vampire Weekend
4. Grizzly Bear
5. Haim
6. LCD Soundsystem
7. Vince Staples
8. Phoenix
9. Drake
10. Father John Misty
11. Lorde
12. St. Vincent
13. The War on Drugs
14. Gorillaz
15. Dirty Projectors
16. Jenny Lewis
17. Beck
18. Mac Demarco
19. Alvvays

So a whole lot of amazing stuff to look forward to and certainly could be an incredible year. 

Anyways, enjoy some new music, particularly the stuff from Sampha, whose new album continues to grow on me. And I know the song from John Mayer is a super John Mayer song, and I kind of sighed the first time I heard it. But guess what? I'm still listening to it, singing that chorus, because it's damn catchy. So don't feel bad if you like it too. Finally, I love Vince Staples and his new track is getting me very excited for a new album. Everything he's making is gold.

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 65

Friday night I get a text from a buddy, "Any interest trying to get tix to the sold out Run the Jewels show??" Response: "Yes. Yes I do."

Fast forward to later that night at the entrance of the Fox. We got fake tickets! Now we're running around trying to find scalpers but there are very few tickets around as everyone is so damn amped to see these dudes - the most politically-charged and beloved voices of an angry population since Rage Against the Machine. To add to that, they're rap's modern day Run-DMC. 

(Killer Mike disclaimer: Run the Jewels was on NPR Tiny Desk Concerts recently and Mike said that at some point RTJ will be labeled a political rap group, and he said, "We are not. We don't care what party you belong to, we don't care who you supported, we don't care what you're doing tomorrow, politically. We care that socially every one of you know that you were absolutely born free and nothing has a right to interrupt that freedom. We love ya'll.") 

BACK TO THE STORY: We almost give up as we see numerous other people getting burned with fake tickets, but we finally ask a scalper if I can stay with the scalper with the money while my buddy goes to the entrance to ensure the tickets are real. BINGO. Cash changes hands and we're in. 

We literally get to our seats - first row in the upper section - as the lights dim and two beers are in hand. The seats (disclaimer: we did stand the whole time) gives us the most amazing shot of the GA section below. 

“We Are the Champions” begins to play as Killer Mike and El-P saunter out and orchestrate the crowd as we scream “We are the champions, my friends…And we'll keep on fighting till the end/ We are the champions / We are the champions / No time for losers 'cause we are the champions / Of the world!”

The songs fades out and “Talk to Me” starts up as the GA crowd goes absolutely ape shit as Militant Mike goes psycho:

We return from the depths of the badland
With a gun and a knife in our waistband
Went to war with the Devil and Shaytan
He wore a bad toupee and a spray tan
So high now, hoping that I land
On a Thai stick, moving through Thailand
On the radio, heard a plane hijack
Government did that like they cooked crack
I move in a world of conspiracies
Obey no rules, I'm doing me
Smoke kush, transport to the airport
Customs found a joint in my passport
Pulled cash and I gave him what he asked for
Goddammit, it's a motherfucking miracle
Small bribe, made it back into America
Hit Uber and maneuvered out the area
Rhyme animal, pit bull terrier
Rap terrorist, terrorize, tear it up
Brought gas and the matches to flare it up
Militant Michael might go psycho
On any ally or rival
Born Black, that's dead on arrival
My job is to fight for survival
In spite of these AllLivesMatter-ass white folk

Then the interlude goes:

This is spiritual warfare that you have been dealing with. This is not a fight that you have been dealing with flesh and blood but this is a fight against principalities and evil doers and unclean spirits.

I didn’t think I would ever see mosh pits that big at The Fox - this was a rock show of epic proportions. People lost their minds the entire show. 

I look over to my buddy and it does’t need to be said. Thank God we came to this show. 

I don’t know a (legitimate) group around right now that commands this level of love and craziness. The crowd absolutely adored these guys and were singing every single word of the songs. It was one of the best crowds I’ve ever seen at a show. RTJ loved it. 

Needless to say, RTJ’s lyrics/music the past few years have taken over rap and people's political angers. Killer Mike has been rapping for decades but never received his due until RTJ. He is an absolute showman and El-P holds the stage with him. Their chemistry was electric and their sincerity the truth.  

Every track on this week’s mixtape was a song they played at the show and some of my faves. 

Nothing shows who these guys are then “Down,” one of my favorite tracks on the new album. 

Check out these verses:

Killer Mike 
I hope (I hope)
I hope with the highest of hopes
That I never have to go back to the trap
And my days of dealing with dope
So I, I only spit fire and dope
So later on you can go quote
My lines to your people and folk
And they say damn (damn, damn, damn)
That boy be spitting that pressure (pressure)
And he be smoking that pressure (pressure)
And he smart as a professor, yes sir
25 lighters on dresser, pound of that pressure
Sittin right next to, next to
Next to a book and a gun
Ballot or bullet, you better use one
One time for the freedom of speeches (speeches)
Two time for the right to hold heaters (heaters)
Just skip to the fifth, with the cops in the house
Close your mouth and pray to your Jesus
Ask why cause the Devil a lie (lie)
So I stay holy and high (high)
May never get rich, but I never bitch
'cause I made it here by and by

Then El-P takes over:
You're gonna need a bigger boat, boys, you're in trouble
Aye, gonna need a little hope, boys, on the double
Aye, you muckin' with a G here, see, talk to me
Or maybe listen to the man that barely dodged his own lobotomy
Pop the tape in, baby, we got shit we wrote for you (for you)
Came from feeling what a pure absence of hope can do
Only to leap through flaming rings and break the nose of crews
Still in their wings'll be them darlings, hope they've broken you
Yeah, they better hope that
I'm a full force and a cold fact
See the cold floor where I licked dirt
When the dough dried and the pride died
Had a dumb max, had to shop right
Gimme two meals and the lights on
I'ma do right, get a new crew
Make a new life, never boo hoo
Never lose sight, I'm a voodoo
With a burst heart from a old soul
Better stop, drop when the squad's hot, we don't stop a lot
We don't talk a lot about it, we just pop it off a lot
I'm high, man, I'm a cosmonaut
Scream, "Fuck 'em," 'til they lop our bloody noggins off
I promise y'all

RTJ!!

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 64

Welcome to Monday Mixtape, Vol. 64! This week’s mixtape is mainly good ol’ fashioned rock and/or roll. 

Dave, a buddy of mine, provided me a playlist entitled, “What (LayersandSounds) Missed/Best of 2016” which was a compilation of really great tracks that I did not include on my Top 100 Songs of 2016. Now I will say that my Top 100 originally had something like 220 songs on it before I whittled it down, so it did include a some of his tracks - like tracks from Charles Bradley, Domo Genesis, Father John Misty, M83, and Michael Kiwanuka - but there were a TON of new ones to listen to. 

Needless to say, a number of these tracks on this week’s mixtape are from his list, so we should thank Dave for this one.

I also recently discovered Pinegrove because they were on a bunch of year end list for best album. They're one of those rock bands you feel like you could have been in - it's an accessible sound that I can wrap my head around.

I also hoping for a new Twin Peaks album. Their first album was super raw and messy, a blur of young kids just rippin’ through songs. Their second album had a little less charm, but these recent tracks have been great, so I’m hoping for something good to come from them. 

That’s all I got, have a great week all.