Showing posts tagged “The Foreign Exchange”
Eric Tullis ·
1 Feb 2010, 5:34 PM ·
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Grammy Family (From Phonte Coleman's Twitter: www.twitter.com/phontigallo)
Given our (sometimes controversial) familiarity with Phonte Coleman and Nicolay Rook’s run over the past year as they supported their second LP as The Foreign Exchange, Leave It All Behind, we’re, of course, a tad disappointed that North Carolina’s newest R&B resource didn’t walk away with this year’s Grammy in the Urban/Alternative Performance category for the song “Daykeeper,” a joint effort with D.C. vocalist Muhsinah. Rather, neo-soul benefeciary India.Arie won the award for a song called “Pearls”—a tougher-than-tofu number dedicated to caring about people and the rainbow and stuff, which doesn’t sound too different from the other 30 songs she’s made over the years about such ethical quandaries. Oh, well…
Sure, while the Grammy Award remains the highest mark of musical achievement in the land, listeners should at least take comfort in the fact that you can’t put much stock in a process that can nominate a sketch from Saturday Night Live (“I’m on a Boat”) as Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. So, what have we learned from tonight’s events other than the fact that Quentin Tarantino snorts 5 Hour Energy Drinks? Even if FE didn’t walk away with the award, they did walk away with some awesome memories and photos with some of their musical heroes—Quincy Jones, Charlie Wilson, Ludacris, Roberta Flack and, of course, Bishop Don Magic Juan. With a third Foreign Exchange album coming out later this year, the FE “Grammy Family” pledges that they’ll be returning to the Staples Center for another go. Sounds like a plan.
News flashes Grammy Awards, Phonte, The Foreign Exchange
Grayson Currin ·
12 Nov 2009, 4:54 PM ·
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Dank lil tent outside of Raleigh's Hibernian
The word is that Chapel Hill’s The Love Language and Durham’s The Foreign Exchange have been practicing feverishly (and with many cans of the Bull) this week for tonight’s Red Bull Soundclash, during which both bands will cover songs by their counterpart and offer themed rearrangements of their own material. Reggae The Love Language? Cockrock The Foreign Exchange? That’s the sort of stuff you can expect from two of the Triangle’s best bands at 8 p.m. beside The Hibernian on Glenwood Ave.
“Outside?” you might be asking. “But what about this weather?”
Don’t worry, says Audrey Adair, a communications specialist with Red Bull. Yesterday, the stage crew erected a large tent—the type of thing you’d see at a mid-sized wedding or a South by Southwest day party—around the stages. Adair says the space should hold between 700 and 800 people for the concert, which will go on as planned, despite what’s happening outside of the white plastic walls shown at right. Doors open at 7 p.m. The music starts at 8 p.m. and is set to end around 10:15 p.m. DJ Lord of Public Enemy spins. It’s free, but—given that 412 people have already RSVP’d on Facebook—you had best get there early. And don’t forget Tigallo’s Two Step Thursday across Glenwood after the concert.
Oh, and my prediction as to which band will handle the challenge best? The Foreign Exchange, without apologies.
Live Actions: New Bills, You Should Do This The Foreign Exchange, The Love Language
Eric Tullis ·
3 Nov 2009, 4:36 PM ·
1 Comment
Surely I’m not the only one who’s always had a super crush on that adorable, freckled-faced, Saturday Night Live alumnus Maya Rudolph. Also, I’m sure that I’m not the only one who’s recently discovered that she is the daughter of the late singer Minnie Ripperton, mostly known for her 1975 single “Lovin’ You”. In the odd case that you don’t know Minnie Ripperton, this Stevie Wonder explanation should help you out. Otherwise, you’ll have to rely on Durham’s Yahzarah to reinvent Ripperton’s “Perfect Angel” on ZO!’s …Just Visiting Too— the latest gift brought to you by Phonte and Nicolay’s Foreign Exchange Music label.
After all, did you really think that Phonte and his jheri curl wig were going to disappear? Well, they (along with Detroit, Mich., ZO!) didn’t, and today, Phonte (sans the wig) and his Foreign Exchange partner, Nicolay, released their bandmate, ZO!’s … JUST VISITING TOO EP. It’s free and you can download it here.
This seven-song EP, garnished with North Carolina vocalists like Yahzarah, Darien Brockington, Carlitta Durand and Phonte himself, is a purse-full of soul renewals ranging from Rod Temperton’s “Somethin’ Special” to Bobby Caldwell’s “My Flame”.
New Music Nicolay, Phonte, The Foreign Exchange, Yahzarah, Zo!
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
Eric Tullis ·
29 Jul 2009, 3:51 PM ·
1 Comment
"Pardon, but could I beg of you some chai?"
We don’t necessarily think Nicolay is a yoga-practicing pacifist or some dude who thinks we should all hold hands, swill chai and sing songs of joy. But when he says stuff like this in his press releases, we have to wonder: “What fascinated me most about Shibuya was the co-existence of ‘old’ and ‘new’ in seemingly perfect harmony. The most advanced technologies and innovations exist next to traditions that are rooted in thousands of years of civilization.” Continue reading »
New Music Nicolay, Phonte, The Foreign Exchange
Eric Tullis ·
15 Jun 2009, 6:48 PM ·
9 Comments
Phonte Coleman’s Two-Step Thursday
Globe, Raleigh
Thursday, June 11, 2009 (continuing every other Thursday)
Thanks to some handstand-breakdance maneuver I hoped to land on the dance floor at the first of Phonte’s weekly Tigallo’s Two-Step Thursday affair at Raleigh club Globe, I nearly fractured my thumb last week. It’s not broken, I think, but it is about the size of a chicken nugget. At least it’s a casualty of war with which I’m willing to live. Continue reading »
In the Studio, Live Actions: Reviews Little Brother, Phonte, The Foreign Exchange, Two-Step Thursday
Eric Tullis ·
22 Apr 2009, 3:09 PM ·
1 Comment
D.C. emcee Wale sprinted past me on the way to his tour bus immediately following his performance Thursday night at Cat’s Cradle during the opening night of Signal’s big four-day weekend. For much of the festival, I followed suit, sprinting up and down Franklin Street, trying to catch as many acts as possible at the festival, all the while rushing to get into certain near-capacity spots like Vespa, where the fire marshals were playing gatekeeper. Continue reading »
Live Actions: Reviews Carlitta Durand, Kid Koala, The Foreign Exchange, Wale
Grayson Currin ·
21 Apr 2009, 5:32 PM ·
1 Comment
On the heels of its Cat’s Cradle debut Friday night for Signal Fest, The Foreign Exchange has issued the second video for Leave It All Behind, the excellent sophomore album released last year by emcee Phonte Coleman and producer Nicolay Rook. The first three minutes of the video, set to “Take off the Blues,” are simple enough: Phonte Coleman sits around a table in a posh bar, joking with friends like Darien Brockington (who sings here, too) and Yahzarah (nope, we don’t know why Muhsinah isn’t featured). He spots a pretty woman across the bar, buys her a drink and dances with her. His happy-man soft-shoe gets a tad happier, and, half a minute later, he’s swept her off her feet.
But here the song fades a minute sooner than it does on Leave It All Behind, putting the synth-and-drums outro on the cutting room floor and segueing into “Valediction,” LIAB’s break-up track. The video jumps to Phonte sitting at his kitchen table in the dark when his lover of one year ago arrives. He lets her off while holding her hand as two minutes of flashbacks—moments both romantic and bitter, reflecting mutually lost interest in the relationship—splice the chat. Interesting idea, and well executed by director Matt Koza. Check it after the jump. Continue reading »
News flashes, Videos Nicolay, Phonte, The Foreign Exchange
Eric Tullis ·
24 Feb 2009, 8:03 PM ·
3 Comments
On the Triangle’s preeminent hip-hop message board, “The Lawn,” local rapper/producer K-Hill recently voiced his opinion regarding the lack of coverage that I’ve been giving to North Carolina hip-hop in the music pages of the Independent Weekly. The comment stemmed from a thread announcing a show featuring local R&B songstress Keisha Shontelle. “Who the fuck is Keisha Shontelle?” I asked, jokingly. In essence, I was suggesting that, given Shontelle’s relative disappearance from this music scene lately, I wasn’t even sure if I remembered her anymore. But I did.
Hey, it's a tiny violin!
“Ask Grayson,” K-Hill responded. “He actually writes about the other movements that reside in N.C. Take that one however you want to.” Continue reading »
General Notes 9th Wonder, K-Hill, Keisha Shontelle, Kooley High, Little Brother, The Foreign Exchange, The Lawn, WXDU
Grayson Currin ·
17 Feb 2009, 3:20 PM ·
5 Comments
—Tin Star EP almost ready; Luego with the recording stats; Mike Patton/Diplo at Signal?; See Pontiak tonight
Continue reading »
Briefly Chris Stamey, Fractured Discs, Greg Humphreys, Luego, Signal Festival, The Foreign Exchange, TIn Star
