Showing posts in the “In the Studio” category
Eric Tullis ·
13 Jan 2010, 12:05 PM ·
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Following Michael Jackson’s death in June 2009, BET aired a show called Michael Jackson: 10 Things You Didn’t Know. In it, The Roots drummer Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson made viewers privy to some comical trivia about the history of the King of
Not a Raekwon tribute...
Pop’s song “Bad.” According to ?uestlove, “Bad” was originally slated to be a duet that featured another member of music royalty—Prince. Prince declined the offer. Apparently, the opening line—“your butt is mine”—wasn’t too appealing to Prince. At a dinner, Prince told Mike, “You ain’t singing this line to me, and I sure ain’t singing this line to you.” Shortly thereafter, “Bad” was MJ’s No. 1 hit.
Unfortunately, that’s about the extent of my Prince knowledge. I’m on MJ’s team. But thanks to Rapper Big Pooh’s The Purple Tape project, I’m able to brush-up on some Prince history. Produced entirely by Detroit’s Black Milk, The Purple Tape (available here, at the big guy’s Bandcamp) captures Pooh rapping above Black Milk’s reinterpretation of close to a dozen of Prince’s most famed hits. Several months ago, Black Milk released this instrumental, Prince-inspired project, Music From The Color Purple, but with his blessings and permission, Rapper Big Pooh decided to make an album out of it. Pooh has been steadily releasing scrimmage projects like this, in anticipation for his next official LP, Dirty Pretty Things. This just happens to be his most outstanding, creative tease yet. For a short making-of documentary on the tape, see HOJTV.
In the Studio, New Music, News flashes Black Milk, Rapper Big Pooh, The Purple Tape
Grayson Currin ·
4 Dec 2009, 5:10 PM ·
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Future Islands, at rest, rarely
It often seems like we’re trying to find new ways to describe Future Island’s infectious music—essentially, three-piece, bass-and-beat driven emo-soul from dudes that (partially) grew up in Raleigh, moved to Greenville, N.C., and then Baltimore, Md.—on a weekly basis. And it’s sort of true: The trio tours as hard as frontman Sam Herring sings, and they don’t miss a chance to play in the Triangle. Last week, the band played a packed headlining set at Berkeley Cafe; tonight, they’ll play Pizza Fest at The Cave. More on that event in this week’s paper. We spoke with Future Islands’ smoking bassist (like, literally: dude smokes while he plays) William Cashion last week about the band’s new deal with Thrill Jockey Records, one of the finest labels in the land. Continue reading »
In the Studio, News flashes Future Islands, The Cave, Thrill Jockey
Grayson Currin ·
2 Dec 2009, 3:20 PM ·
4 Comments
Assloads of cash. Assloads.
When Durham quartet Free Electric State booked studio time to make the follow-up to their excellent two-song debut demo, they aimed only for the next step in size: Cut an EP, and see if any labels were interested in a longer project. Turns out, they didn’t have to wait.
“Kyle and Steve said, ‘We’re not interested in putting out an EP. We’d rather do a full-length,’” says Free Electric State’s Shirlé Hale Koslowski of Kyle Miller and Steve Jones, who run the Durham label Churchkey Records. “We had the songs, so we said we would record more. It wasn’t our initial plan, but it made sense.”
The band cut the core of the LP over three days in late October at the Mebane studio of producer Jerry Kee. Over the last two-plus decades, Kee has worked with Superchunk, Ryan Adams, Bad Checks, Shark Quest and, oh, about half of the bands in the Triangle. In fact, Koslowski and husband David, who plays guitar and sings in Free Electric State, worked with him in their former band, Gerty! Just before Thanksgiving, they returned to Kee’s to add overdubs and finalize mixes. Chicago’s Carl Saff is currently mastering the disc.
The nine-song LP, titled Caress, features a reworked version of “Hawks,” from this year’s demo release, as well as two new songs that the band has yet to play locally, “Matching Scars” and “The Black Sea.” Those tunes will get their premiere Friday, when Free Electric State joins Irata and The White Cascade for a 10 p.m. show at Slim’s.
The record, though, will have to wait: Churchkey plans to drop Caress in mid-April 2010.“I feel like it’s so far away,” says Koslowski, laughing, “that we’ll have another album written by then.”
For Free Electric State’s alternate version of how the deal with Churchkey went down, hit the jump. Continue reading »
In the Studio, News flashes Churchkey Records, Free Electric State
Rick Cornell ·
5 Nov 2009, 6:49 PM ·
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That Bangle Girl and That Oh-OK Boy
I’m not lobbying for the position of song-choice consultant for Matthew “Sid” Sweet and Susanna “Susie” Hoffs if the pair decides to release a third volume of their Under the Covers series, following ’06’s Volume 1 and the new Volume 2 (both on Shout Factory). However, I would serve with honor and incurable geekitude. OK, so maybe I am lobbying.
Past the jump are the 10 songs at the top of my Volume 3 wish list. Volume 1 stuck to the ‘60s, whereas Volume 2 was all about the ‘70s. My list reflects the hope that a third volume would be willing to revisit the ‘60s and ‘70s as well as dip into the ‘80s and ‘90s. I did limit myself in one way though: I didn’t choose any artists that are covered on the first two volumes, a who’s who that ranges from The Beatles and Bob Dylan to The Velvet Underground and The Zombies. Continue reading »
In the Studio, You Should Do This Sid & Susie, The ArtsCenter
Chris Parker ·
24 Sep 2009, 3:20 PM ·
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Joe Taylor (left) and Adam Brinson are Blag'ard
Blag’ard has delayed the release of its second LP, tentatively titled Mach II, to the beginning of next year. Guitarist Joe Taylor now plans to accompany its release by unshelving the long lost Capsize 7 album he recorded with the old alt-rock act in the mid ‘90s before they were dropped from Caroline Records. Fusing the jagged angular spirit of Polvo with Achers of Loaf’s hooks, Capsize 7 was one of the Triangle’s most underappreciated coulda-beens. He brings a similar bristling sound to his new outfit, fueled by drummer Adam Brinson’s sizzling kit work. We spoke to Taylor about the forthcoming releases.
INDEPENDENT WEEKLY: So what’s up with the new Blag’ard recording?
JOE TAYLOR: The Blag’ard record was pushed back to an unforeseen medical situation in my family, which basically meant I had to derail my life for about a half a year. I got back on track with getting my shit together. We are going to record the record starting in October. We’re going to record with Nick Peterson and start tracking on the 6th—coincidently, the day after my birthday. So it’s a nice birthday present for me, and then we’re doing it on one-inch reel-to-reel. I hadn’t recorded with audio tape in a long time, so I’m psyched to be working with Nick and going down on reel-to-reel. We’re going to do 10 songs, and because of the fact that Fall crept around and we hadn’t recorded the record in September or August, we said, “Putting a record out in November doesn’t make any sense, so let’s just wait.” So it’s going to come out in January. Continue reading »
In the Studio Blag'ard, Capsize 7, Nightlight
Eric Tullis ·
9 Sep 2009, 10:54 PM ·
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A day in the office with Kaze.
Three things I never thought I’d hear from Chapel Hill’s Kaze:
1. A “Best I Ever Had” remix. Drake? Seriously?
2. Kaze actually singing hooks on more than one song (also featured on his new mixtape is the 9th Wonder-produced single, “Fresh”, which features newcomer Mr. Mohalyn singing the hook).
3. Auto-Tune.
While toiling within the local hip-hop scene for the past decade and establishing himself as a hard-life, no-frills emcee, it seems as if Kaze has been surreptitiously preparing to be North Carolina’s version of Nelly, the St. Louis hitmaker who was once known as a sturdy, threatening emcee before settling and becoming more lady-friendly at the hips and party-friendly at the lips.
Let’s be fair, though: Kaze, as much as perhaps any other artist from North Carolina, has deserved a big break, even if it means a break from what we’ve long known him for. Several months ago, when Kaze won his recording contract with SRC/ Universal, many of us speculated as to what that meant as far as the direction of Kaze’s music. His new DJ Whoo-Kid-hosted mixtape, First in Flight (download here), offers some hints. The finding: Kaze can circumnavigate his way around hip-hop all he wants.
While this isn’t the DJ Drama-infused Gangsta Grillz mixtape release that Kaze was hoping for (keep reading), having G-Unit’s DJ Whoo-Kid at the steering wheel might just be the next-best option if Kaze wants to keep up with the big boys in the mixtape circuit. The guys over at 2dopeboyz are doing the hosting duties for Kaze’s new project.
Hit the jump for our interview with Kaze in March (published for the first time here), not long after the SRC/Universal deal was signed. Continue reading »
In the Studio, Interviews and Long Cuts, News flashes KAZE
Joe Schwartz ·
4 Sep 2009, 1:35 PM ·
10 Comments
"That's why you go to a football game. You want to see someone get knocked the fuck out." —Beaux Foy of Airiel Down, at far right
Whether at Carter-Finley Stadium or at home watching on television, most people who saw last night’s N.C. State-South Carolina season opener probably thought the 7-3 game was a snoozer. But they didn’t watch the game with Beaux Foy and Taylor Traversari of Raleigh quintet Airiel Down.
The pair took a break from recording and touring to witness the debut of their reworking of the N.C. State fight song—a faster, screaming-vocals version that will be played all year as the Wolfpack takes the field—amid 60,000 fans in red.
“They came to us and said there’s just a lack of electricity at the start of games,” Foy said from his front-row end zone seat, referring to N.C. State’s athletics marketing department. “They wanted to make it modern and hard-hitting.”
“It’s got to appeal to 60- and 70-year-old alums and also to 18-year-old freshman. The song was written in 1923 and we had to try to do something that’s not cheesy. It was a daunting task, but we said, ‘Let’s just play it loud and fast, brother.’”
Though the PA wasn’t quite loud enough to do the song justice, Foy and Traversari enjoyed the limelight all evening. They slapped fives with players as they emerged from the lockers and out of the smoke. Heck, they slapped fives with everyone near them—fans, band directors, former offensive coordinators, anyone within arm’s length.
Longtime Wolfpack fans might appreciate that Airiel Down kept the traditional lyrics of “come over the hill, Carolin(a/e)” instead of the more modern,” go to hell, Carolin(a/e).” Younger folks might enjoy the song’s tempo and flair. Download it here, and be prepared to be at least slightly shaken or stunned. For a making-of video, watch this.
Neither Foy nor Traversari went to N.C. State, but they’ve embraced Raleigh as their home. They recorded a similar song for the Carolina Hurricanes earlier in the year and have plans to perform the national anthem at an N.C. State game later this season.
Provided the logistics of setting up a stage, rocking a show and clearing out in time for the second half are worked out, they will also perform at halftime of the Nov. 7 Homecoming game or the final match up against UNC.
“We support any and all things North Carolina,” Foy said. “Everywhere we go, we’re proud to be a North Carolina band. We’re not a New York band. We’re not an LA band. We’re not moving to LA. We’re an N.C. band, and we’re proud of that fact.”
N.C. State will continue to play Airiel Down’s song, “Gunslinger,” at every halftime. Foy sang along with himself last night, throwing rock and roll hand gestures at every chance. He also offered advice on life, love and sport with every play. That’s available after the jump. [Editor's note: Trust us on this one. Make the jump.] Continue reading »
In the Studio, News flashes Airiel Down, N.C. State
Eric Tullis ·
2 Sep 2009, 2:59 PM ·
1 Comment
For any of you out there waiting on The Anti-Mixtape Resistance Movement to gain momentum, you’re probably better off trying to squeeze orange juice out of a ham: Ain’t gonna happen. Rappers are sticking to that ol’ formulaic hustle of releasing no-hassle mixtapes in lieu of or in preview of forthcoming LPs. No matter how much we bitch and whine about the infinite piles of pointless mixtapes on our hard drives, they’re going to keep coming as hip-hop artists gobble up the low-cost exposure.
That said, we should at least be grateful for all the free material we’ve been given and offer these mixtapes a chance, at least. September, after all, is shaping up to be an extremely active month for hip hop (Jay-Z, Raekwon, Ghostface all releasing monster albums), and if two Triangle crews can help prime us, well … more power to us Carolinians. Continue reading »
In the Studio, News flashes Chaundon, Joe Scudda, Jozeemo, Kooley High, Little Brother, Rapper Big Pooh, Reservoir Dogs
Rick Cornell ·
27 Aug 2009, 3:21 PM ·
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Charlie Poole, at home in North Carolina
Speaking of Charlie Poole: On August 15, the same day that Tompkins Square released its two-disc Red Fox Chasers anthology, Loudon Wainwright III released his latest, titled High Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project. On the two-disc set, Wainwright—with help from the likes of David Mansfield, Geoff Muldaur, and Chris Thile, as well as various Wainwrights and Roches—tackles songs from Poole’s repertoire and contributes nine new songs centered on the life of the rambling and roving Poole and the times that couldn’t contain him. Among other things, this project adds to the already-abundant off-the-beaten-path promise of this fall’s Rich & Loud show in Greensboro. For those not on a first-nickname basis with the duo, that’s Richard Thompson, who’s been known to dig back, oh, 400 or 500 years for a tune, and Wainwright.
And Danville, Va.,’s Kinney Rorrer is again in the thick of things again. Wainwright’s Web site highlights Rorrer’s Poole bio, Rambling Blues, as a chief inspiration, and Rorrer showed Wainwright and High Wide & Handsome producer Dick Connette around Poole’s Spray, N.C., stomping grounds as they geared up for recording. Click here to download “Milwaukee Blues,” an outtake from the new set.
In the Studio, News flashes Charlie Poole, Red Fox Chasers
Eric Tullis ·
25 Aug 2009, 6:18 PM ·
2 Comments
I'll take that beat to go, please. (Photo by D.L. Anderson)
While still touring and promoting his most recent The Foreign Exchange LP, Leave it All Behind, Little Brother’s Phonte Coleman is somehow finding time to churn out all sorts of other projects. Whether he’s hosting his Raleigh dance night, serenading over a joyful Jazzanova track or guest-emceeing on a R&B record from two rising soul vocalists (Anthony David and Algebra Blessett), Coleman—who will also be featured on the upcoming The Roots album, How I Got Over—remains one of the Triangle’s busiest, most in-demand artists.
We figured we’d keep you up to date just in case you aren’t doing your fair share of Twitter stalking: Via I’m Flashy, here’s a brand new track featuring Coleman, entitled “True Love” and from Connecticut emcee Apathy’s upcoming Wanna Snuggle LP. Apathy is mostly known for his collaborative effort with Jedi Mind Tricks, Army of The Pharaohs. Here, Phonte’s subject matter is women and their misdirected love-affair with hip-hop, or, as he addresses, “Sex and the City hoes” and “Raphael ‘Saad-idy’ hoes”. Leave it up to Mr. Coleman to form labels like this one…
In the Studio, News flashes Phonte Coleman, The Foreign Exchange
