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Showing posts from March, 2011

Twin Shadow & The Directors' [Faux?] Video

" Twin Shadow challenged us to make a film that was highly diseased, something sick, something bacterially infected, something wrought with viruses. He wanted us to take this film to its last remaining breath, knocking on heaven's door while gasping for air within inches of life, and then REVIVE and REVEAL it to the world. He also wanted us to think outside the browser. Little did we know that we were entering something so stark and so dark. Although it was our first foray into music films and almost certainly will be our last, we look back at the undertaking with a sense of accomplishment and artful wonder. And it certainly has gone viral. To paraphrase Elvis , who shared our fondness for tigers : "10,000,000 blogs can't be wrong." "There is no key to my gate" was a challenge for us to go deeper then we had ever gone before. The grand reveal of the Siberian. The arm reveal during the first entrance into the blogosphere. "The Green Face.&qu

"Late Night with The Copyright Criminals All-Star Band."

In celebration of the Copyright Criminals (documentary film) DVD [re-]release, Chuck D, Clyde Stubblefield, and Eclectic Method appeared on the 3/29-30 Late Night episode. Joined by The Roots' Black Thought ( "Flavor Flav" ) and ?uestlove , the crew dubbed "The Copyright Criminals All-Star Band" riffled through a live cover version of Public Enemy 's 1989 hit single, "Fight the Power." Said 2009 Franzen & Kembrew/PBS documentary,which examines the art/legality of sampling, has been expanded into a larger package - Copyright Criminals: The Funky Drummer Edition (Box Set) . The film itself features appearance from the above-stated, as well as the likes of De La Soul, George Clinton , Mix Master Mike (Beastie Boys), El-P, Cee-Lo, Danger Mouse , Prefuse 73, Sage Francis, Eyedea & Abilities, Pete Rock , DJ Q-bert, and Saul Williams. The new DVD [box] set includes an exclusive Clyde Stubblefield's Ultimate Breaks and Beats 12,"

Gorilla vs. Bear's "Tourney Playlist" (End)

Set #3, March 29: 8. White Denim - "Anvil Everything" 9. Bosco Delrey - "20 Flight Dub" 10. Robin Pecknold - "I'm Losing Myself" [-feat. Ed Droste] 11. Hard Mix - "Memories" 12. Peaking Lights - "Tiger Eyes (Laid Back)" 13. Ford & Lopatin - "Emergency Room" 14. Thurston Moore - "Benediction" 15. Gauntlet Hair - "I Was Thinking..." 16. Widowspeak - "Harsh Realm" 17. jj - "New Work"

British Remains - "Royal Wedding" (2011) Set

Presenting... Prince William & Kate Middleton's "Royal Wedding," coming soon to a tabloid near you (April 29). The 3rd and final piece in the collection [not pictured here] is a silkscreened handkerchief, similar in style and layout to T-shirt #2.

Eamon - "F**k It," circa 2004.

Danny Brown - "Guitar Solo"

"Guitar Solo" (visual), Danny Brown 's most recent release, is actually Track #10 from his [slept upon] 2010 mixtape, The Hybrid . Along with the next sequential tracklisted piece ( "White Stripes" ), "Guitar Solo" is pretty Rock-inspired. From a quick listen, the 2 aforementioned tracks are definitely mixtape/"album" stand-outs. It seems as though The Hybrid was released this time last year (March 16, 2010). Since its release, the up-and-coming Detroit MC has released a string of videos for album tracks - The 7+ videos are viewable over @ the "HybridMusicGroup" YouTube Channel . In addition to this collection, Brown also released a project with Tony Yayo . The Hawaiian Snow team-up makes more sense than it initially appears... Since Brown was [supposedly] a "member" of G-Unit at one point. Tracks featuring Danny Brown rapping alongside artists like Black Milk, eLZhi, Lil B, and Buff1 ... as well as over Dilla an

Wall Street Bull (Agata "Crocheted" Olek)

"I started it with a bike and ended up with the Charging Bull as a "Christmas gift" to NYC and a tribute to the sculptor of the bull, Arturo di Modica [...] Who, in another guerrilla act, placed the bull on Wall Street in Christmas of 1987 as a symbol of the "strength and power of the American people," following the 1987 Stock Market Crash . This crocheted cover represents my best wishes to all of us. It will be a great, prosperous year with many wonderful surprises!!!" - Olek , in a Dec. 2010 e-mail to Bowery Boogie .

No Sweat with Eric B. & Rakim

DANIELS - "Dogboarding" (short film)

Together, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert are "DANIELS." Check out their music videos for The Hundred In the Hands and FM Belfast, an [online] Levi's ad... as well as short films like "FAST," "TIDES of the HEART," and "SWINGERS" over @ their web-space . "Dogboarding" (below) is their newest piece of work. The video appears to have debuted online 3/27 and features Foster the People 's "Helena Beat" as part of its brief "soundtrack."

B.o.B.'s Sinatra "Cover"

Extended Play: Topher Mohr is "RUTHLESS!" (First Unitarian Church, Philly)

About a year or so ago, a buddy and I went to a Mayer Hawthorne & The County show in the basement of a Philly church ( First Unitarian Church ). Highlights of the night, Presented by R5 Productions ... included a House Shoes ( Dilla -based) DJ set, massive amounts of zebra print, a set from delightfully Poppy opener Nikki Jean , many great Mayer-lead "New-Wop" jams, Hip-Hop heads and Hipsters, an impromptu post-show meet-and-greet/signing, etc. But the most memorable moment of the night was also a completely unexpected one. Mid-way through the main performance, County ax-man Topher Mohr took hold of the lead mic while Mayer stepped back into the folds of the band. The track [which I later learned was called "Ruthless" ] was instantly catchy... New, yet "throwback" in the same vein as the Mayer Hawthorne & The County collection. Soon after the close of the Mazda2 Tour , Topher unleashed "Ruthless" as part of a larger project - That o

Mishka x WAVVES T-shirt/Tank

L-R: Nathan Williams (WAVVE #1), "Post-Acid" Alien, Black Bart Simpson, Chronic the Hemphog, and Snowball II [?] down in front. Get it over @ Mishka NYC - Black or white, T-shirt ($32) or tank ($35). The shirts, the newest addition to the "Black Bart Bootleg Series," are also available @ Mishka NYC/LA stores.

Wiz Khalifa Dreams of Working with Mumford & Sons, Disco Biscuits.

THE UPSETTER... (Lee "Scratch" Perry Trailer)

" THE UPSETTER tells the fascinating story of Lee "Scratch" Perry , a visionary musician and artist from poor rural Jamaica who journeyed to the big city in the late 1950s with dreams of making it in the burgeoning record industry. Lee Perry burst on the scene with a brand new sound, inventing a genre of music that would come to be called "Reggae," while mentoring a young Bob Marley and gaining international recognition as a record producer and solo artist. [ "Pipecock Jackxon" would later go on to work with artists as varied as The Clash, Beastie Boys, Andrew W.K., Paul McCartney & Wings, Moby, and Sasha Grey .] THE UPSETTER charts 70 years in the life of Lee "Scratch" Perry in his own words through an exclusive interview given to American filmmakers Ethan Higbee and Adam Bhala Lough in Switzerland in 2006. It is equally a documentation of 30 years of Jamaican music and culture as it is a study of one of the most creative and

Ron English's "F.A.M.E." (Pop Art)

DISCLAIMER: "The Witzard" in no way, shape, or form condones Chris Brown's actions. He's a coward, hypocrite, and a downright asshole. I have absolutely NO RESPECT whatsoever for "men" who [mis-]treat women. With that said... For those of you that haven't already, stop patronizing this clown. Appreciate the Ron English piece/boycott the album! Let the downfall begin!!!

Fucked Up - "The Other Shoe" (Rock Opera)

On June 7th, Fucked Up has all intentions of ROCKING YOUR SOCKS! The Summer-time date will mark the release of their long-rumored "Rock Opera," David Comes to Life . The album's title seems to link back to a similarly-titled track from their 2006 album, Hidden World . David Comes to Life is Fucked Up 's first full-length since 2008 (this excluding a few albums-worth of 7" singles). The 78:00 album's lead character is named after/for manager and "Fifth Beatle," David Eliade . The 6-piece revealed in a celebratory blog post that they've been actively working on the collection since 2006, meant for it to be their second album... which evolved into "ChemCom," and even spun a handful of tracks [like "David's Christmas" and "David's Plan" ] into 7" charity singles. Frontman Damian Abraham laid out a rough plot outline in a Jan. 19th Pitchfork interview: "It's about a guy, David, who works at

White Mountaineering Ponch ("Wardrobe" '11)

Angel & Holly for The Hundreds Magazine, #4.

* Featured Track: The Rolling Stones' "Mona (I Need You, Baby)" - A Bo Diddley cover from their 1964 Decca debut.

March, Weekend #4 Covers Set

The RJ Berger-Weezer Connection (B.o.B.)

Wiz's "Promotional Tour" (2011)

Wiz Khalifa has been making his promotional "rounds" as of late - An mtvU Woodies performance, the Complex (9th Ann.) cover/interview with Danny McBride , a video to accompany his slow jam for the ladies : "Roll Up, " Cabin Fever (mixtape), Rolling Stone 's March '11 cover 1 of 2, [ Snoop Dogg ] features, etc. All leading up to the March 29th release of Rolling Papers (Atlantic/Rostrum). Grab up a few aforementioned goodies down below... Cabin Fever (mixtape) download link [as well as a recent Young Jeezy "G-mix" of Track #9], courteous of Shake and Meka over @ 2dopeboyz .

SebastiAn - Total, Track #4

Total is the upcoming full-length debut from French Electro-House producer/[remix] artist/DJ, SebastiAn Akchoté . Having released a handful of various 7/12" EP's, remixes, a French film soundtrack, and assorted features since his 2005 inception, the May 30th release will be his first true "album." Total 's 22 TRACKS[!] will house appearances from Stones Throw's Mayer Hawthorne and M.I.A. , as well as Ed Banger 's very own Gaspard Augé (Jus†ice) . Art design and video production will likely come from Ed Banger 's in-house Art Director , SO ME (Kanye, Duck Sauce, KiD CuDi, Jus†ice clips). * And yeah, that up there, is indeed SebastiAn "kissing himself" on the Total album cover.

A capella John Legend (Adele)

"here's some wednesday ear candy. i love this adele song. decided to cover it: link " - @johnlegend (Twitter) * I had never heard the original Adele track until after I heard John's cover. While the 2 versions are very good for different reasons... I do have to say, I prefer Mr. Legend's. Both Adele 's 21 and John Legend [& The Roots] Wake Up! are currently available in stores.

Ford & Lopatin - "Emergency Room"

Ford & Lopatin's Channel Pressure (TBR June 7th) is a loose concept record about "a teenage anti-hero [Joey Rogers], violent robo-jocks, and a record industry run by a super computer." Channel Pressure (Software/Mexican Summer) Tracklist - 01. "Scumsoft" 02. "Channel Pressure" 03. "Emergency Room" 04. "Rock Center Paranoia" 05. "Too Much MIDI (Please Forgive Me)" 06. "New Planet" 07. "The Voices" 08. "Joey Rogers" 09. "Dead Jammer" 10. "Break Inside" 11. "Surrender" 12. "Green Fields" 13. "World of Regret" 14. "G's Dream"

Ryan Leslie - "Joan of Arc" (Les Is More)

"Les Is More" out Fourth of July, 2011?

Your Mom's Favourite New Releases (Week of 3/22)

Erykah Badu for H&M

The Witzard Reviews Cheezy & The Crackers' CD.

An eventual Cheezy & The Crackers bio-pic intro voiceover might read a little something like this: Having taken their name from a pimp-rendered piece of "advice," the band was heavily influenced by staples James Brown, Nirvana, B.I.G., and Sublime. Together, Vineland/Millville, NJ residents Cheezy McNasty, Albert (Berto) Trionfo, Randy Richardson, DJ Barely $ober (Mike), and Tom (T-bird) Parker are collectively known as "Cheezy & The Crackers." Over the years, they have built up a strong Tri-state area cult following by playing countless bar gigs [including a bill with Less Than Jake], releasing mixtapes, and recording new music constantly. Their official debut album, Don't Talk About It, Be About It... , will finally see the light of day on April 21, 2011. At its surface, the collection is a blend of Reggae, Hip-Hop, and Rock. #1.) "When Something Is Not Right" – A straight-forward "rocker," that seems to stand in a class of its

"Lykke Li's Secret" (No. 2)

White Denim - 2 "D" Tracks

" WHITE DENIM TO RELEASE "D" THIS MAY ON DOWNTOWN RECORDS. Austin, Texas is largely known as being home to one of the most organic and celebrated music communities in the world and White Denim has helped to establish that reputation over the past five years... James, Josh, Steve and Austin stepped into the studio in 2010 to re-envision how they see a "Hard Rock band" sounding. The end result lends itself to a softer sound crafted for their upcoming studio album, "D," slated for release in North America on Downtown Records on May 24th, available worldwide in all digital and retails outlets simultaneously for the first time. As this marks the band's fourth studio album, they chose the fourth letter of the alphabet - "D" - to represent what is truly their finest and most versatile work to date. Recorded over three weeks at a studio on Lake Travis in Austin, [the] self-produced [collection is a] combination [of] Psych/Punk Rock sound bac

J.Rocc x Stüssy T-shirt (Japan Ch.)