<![CDATA[[MusicRatty] tag: black]]> http://www.musicratty.com/tag/black Sun, 05 Oct 2008 10:18:00 +0000 iRatty Engine http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss <![CDATA[Spearheads Say Hey (I Love You)]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/6d1743650d921bd49b65d9c7af89c3b7 http://www.musicratty.com/article/6d1743650d921bd49b65d9c7af89c3b7

Infectious riddims from Michael Franti & Spearhead’s brand new record, All Rebel Rockers. M’ lady and I heard this on Sirius Jam On yesterday, and it was immediately flagged and tagged for later consumption. The album was produced by Sly & Robbie, the veteran reggae production team (Black Uhuru, Yellowman, Peter Tosh, Gregory Isaacs, and many more), and recorded mostly in Kingston, Jamaica.

Irie!

Michael Franti & Spearhead - Say Hey (I Love You) [mp3, featuring Cherine Anderson]

[See post to listen to audio]

Buy

Links: Official Site | Watch the Video for “Say Hey (I Love You)” | MySpace

© Photo credit: Mike Schreiber

]]> Mon, 06 Oct 2008 01:21:13 +0000 hey love michael franti official site sirius jam photo credit spearhead black uhuru infectious riddims Spearheads Say Hey (I Love You) <![CDATA[Fried - part 4]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/7057a66c424a1acaf84a97c8d0e017ce http://www.musicratty.com/article/7057a66c424a1acaf84a97c8d0e017ce In September Steaknife played with SPUD at The Venue, a concrete bunker bar in the New Station Hotel, opposite the Auckland Railway Station. We spent the August holidays practicing in a shed in a Kiwifruit orchard outside Katikati. Scott, Marcel, Stu and I and a big bag of pot from a hippie house truck on the ridge above the Te Puna Tavern. An old Marcel contact. We were working up a set for the show. Four songs – Scrapheap, Screaming Through The Gorge, 1989, and Vincent. In marked contrast the show was a disaster. We were well gone by playing time, dakked out after a day smoking head. The only review described us a mutant R&B group from the Waikato. The only laugh we got. The year wound down and Scott headed south to Dunedin and art school.

Marcel found us a new guitarist in 1990, Steve McLennan, host of the Contact FM hardcore show. Our new practice rooms were in industrial suburb, Frankton, in a spray shop customised by old friend Patrick Balani, and rented to bands. Steve would pick us up in his VW beetle, and we’d spend the evening learning the still small Steaknife songbook. We never played any shows, and midyear, my degree finished, I packed my gear for Auckland.

Steve would later be elected a city councillor in the mid 1990s. When the Waikato Times entertainment section asked him for his top five albums he included Can’s Tago Mago, The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, and The Beatles’ White Album.

I lasted barely six months in the big smoke living with a thousand cockroaches in Bond Street. It cost too much even then and the company was weak. More than that music was beginning to suck. The scene was stiffled with vindictive geeks and spacy girls. Mac knew them all. We flatted with a few in Bond Street and across the Northwestern motorway in Eden Terrace.

Mostly I’d hang with old friends, the Zombies, at their suburban Onehunga retreat. I'd catch the bus out on dole day. Suck up the booze and dak, and on one occasion, acid, where we spent a whole day on One Tree Hill’s slopes, moving slowly around the banks of the dead volcano, drinking, and listening to the spiralling sound of Spacemen Three. We had The Beatles’ lysergic cartoon Yellow Submarine on the box when we got home. Everyone planeing down after a sweet shimmering day.

Karl, Zip and I went down to get some takeaways, but the shop was closed. As we turned for home three homies stepped out of the darkness. “You bin hasslin’ my mate,” one said. That old line. I thought I could reason with him, turned to say something, and saw a two by four heading toward my face. Karl and Zip were already sprinting away. I joined them.

There was one last trip south in September to see Zooper - Steve, Stu and Marcel’s trio - perform in Frankton club Rockafellas. They were playing with my Auckland drug buddies’ Zombie Boy - Zip, Karl, Burt and Mac - and Crunchy Something. I went down on the bus, stayed with Marcel in a flat by the river, and attended practice in the old bank building on the corner of Victoria Street. Marcel leaning over the piece of shit kit. Stu standing bass framed in the high arched windows of the main drag practice room. The Beefeaters scene playing out below in a manic Friday night ritual of black t shirts and big cars. There must be hundreds of cities like Hamilton in America, I thought.

Frankton was blue collar. A rail junction town overtaken by Hamilton’s suburbs. Rockafellas the nightclub in the main street. The Hamilton scene came out in numbers and Zooper played a loud proud set. Five songs including Doomed Destiny, Digger, and Tryst which they’d recorded at Tandys Studios with Zed Brookes in October.

Zombie Boy were gritty as always. New singer Keith Serious was a bonus. Afterwards I ended up at a party with a scene girl I had a mad crush on in an office block on the main street. Lotsa of Hamilton scene jetsam floated around. Kegs littered the office space which was clearly being lived in. Turns out it was being rented for bogus research into the para normal (ghosts etc.), and the tenants are milking a government grant for beer and digs. I ditched the girl at the Mill and ended the evening spotting hash on tin foil with Crunchy Something. Head oil.
]]> Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:26:31 +0000 hamilton scene jetsam hamilton scene scene contact marcel contact marcel beefeaters scene frankton club rockafellas hamilton Fried - part 4 <![CDATA[OPETH - Still Life (1999)]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/26b5fe5903e00c1ea14608d0410b6299 http://www.musicratty.com/article/26b5fe5903e00c1ea14608d0410b6299

Opeth at its best

Still Life is a major turning point in Opeth's career and that is because it symbolizes that Opeth finally became completely a extreme progressive metal band. I say completely because so far, in their previous albums, Opeth had progressive influences but was still a goth / death / black metal act, though with prog influences. But here their music finally evolves into something more complex and with more depth and that becomes evident when you compare the orchestration, harmonization and melodic lines of this album with their previous albums: the guitars outgrow that simple riff structure and both the drums and the bass become independent instruments instead of simply supporting the guitars (or should i say the guitar, since the another guitar is the rhythmic guitar).

Still Life is a very important album for me because it was the third Opeth album i ever listened (right after Deliverance and Blackwater Park) and, along with Blackwater Park, it was responsible for my love towards Opeth's music. To be frank, at first i did not liked it very much but the album slowly grew into me and now i absolutely love it.

Also, this album also outgrows the other Opeth albums in content. The lyrics finally don't talk about (directly) goth / black metal themes, but a love story that eventually ends in tragedy, much like a Shakespearian tale (Romeo and Juliet comes to my mind, but whatever). Also, this is a concept album, something that, in my opinion, acts favorably for the album, since this concept is a good one.

The Concept

This concept is not very complicated and does not have many details like other album concepts, what makes it easier to understands it, though all concepts are not very easy to fully understand. At the first song, the main character tells that e was banished from his homeland and, after being 15 years banished, he returns to it for his love, Melinda.

In Godhead's Lament he thinks about the consequences of his return and finds out that Melinda had become a nun, but he still tries to get her back.

In the third song, called Benighted, he tries to convince Melinda to leave her religious duties and because he loves her.

At the next song, Moonlapse Vertigo, the main character remembers again that the townsfolk would probably kill him if they knew he was back. the Council of the Cross, who openly show scorn for the disgraced and the poor, is mentioned and the main character shows that he hates the Council immensely. He also tries to convince Melinda to flee the country with him.

The song Face of Melinda describes Melinda and a black haired and quiet woman. She tells him that she would still honor her vows and will still remain a nun, but as he tries to convince her to flee, telling her that he still loves her, she says that she still loves him.

In Serenity Painted Death, the main character wakes up to find out that Melinda is not by his side anymore (probably they got laid, but who knows) and that she was killed for being unfaithful to the church, which she married. Enraged, the main character kills the ones who killed Melinda and everyone he could before collapsing from exhaustion. Right before blacking out he sees that the Council is there to capture him.

The last song, entitled White Crusher, begins with the character still half conscient (probably he is still awaking), but he soon realizes that he is going to be hanged. He refuses the Council's redemption and, when the townspeople gather to see the execution they all wear white because they believe his soul is lost. He also curses the townsfolk and the Council. When he is finally hanged, he he feels a hand on his shoulder and when he looks behind him he sees Melinda standing right behind him, ready for him to join her in death.

About the songs, musicianship and other features, there are somethings i would like to state:

Though changed, Opeth still bears the extreme metal characteristics in their music, such as distorted guitars, songs are in minor scales, the music is aggressive (though beautiful) and has guttural vocals. I must say at this point that i really love Åkerfeldt's vocals, both guttural and normal. His guttural vocals are deep, down pitched, powerful and very well worked. He is one of the few guttural vocalists i really enjoy.

As i said before, here the bass and the drum work are really good and independent from the guitars: though the guitar work still have some influence over them they are (or they seem to be) independent. The guitar work is also great, specially the solo guitar, whose solos are filled with feeling and fit very well in every song.

Grade and Final Thoughts

What a great album. Great music, great lyrics, great concept. . . It's just an incredibly good final result what Opeth presents to us here and because of that this album deserves the masterpiece grade. 5 stars for sure.

by CCVP


OPETH Music Online:
recommended progarchives.com worldwide prog rock stores

  • GEMM, Vinyl Records & CDs Rare Albums (Out of Print and Imports)
  • AMAZON, find cheap, used and new stuff with the marketplace
  • eBay, used or new | bid or buy now
More about OPETH at Progarchives.com


]]> Sun, 05 Oct 2008 18:30:40 +0000 opeth main character tells character main character wakes opeth music online main character kills opeth albums main character opeth album OPETH - Still Life (1999) <![CDATA[DEEP PURPLE - Come Hell Or High Water (1994)]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/2040b61614bc2405194b9c19a03ae2d7 http://www.musicratty.com/article/2040b61614bc2405194b9c19a03ae2d7

To celebrate the end of holiday season, last night I played loud this Deep Purple Come Hell or High Water CD at my car while driving home. Yeah ..! It rocked, man! It's really fit the situation because the first track was Highway Star (6:40) where I can hear Gillan still rock with his old age, actually. Ian Paice drumming is also top notch! He played his drum set like crazy. I like his style of drum playing. Ritchie performed his solo differently from other concerts. And ..of course Uncle Jon Lord still played great Hammond and keyboard throughout the song. Roger Glover played his bass dynamically. One thing interesting was Gillan still performed his high register notes vocal work. Black Night (5:40) as usual...involving the crowd to sing along Oooo ..oooo ... OOO ... Oooo!!!. This is one of the interesting thing that Deep Purple has always done with their live concerts. Ritchie performed his solo combined with Lord's keyboard work. Usually Gillan commented Superb! but this time he said Unbelievable! responding to the crowd shouts.

A Twist in the Tail (4:27) has been rarely performed on stage but this time it had a chance. The song reminds me to Rainbow's Lost In Hollywood in its rhythm section. Perfect Strangers (6:52) was responded highly by the crowd especially during the part where Glover played riffs with his bass guitar like Led Zeppelin's Kashmir. Anyone's Daughter (3:57) is a country-based music that I skipped last night because it's not rocking at all. Child in Time (10:48) was performed excellently with great keyboard work by Lord and powerful vocal line by Gillan. The other three tracks are also excellent with Anva (12:13), Speed King (7:29) and Smoke on the water (10:26). It was a surprise that part of Burn, especially the introduction, was also inserted. Unfortunately no vocal because I don't think Gillan is willing to sing Coverdale's tune.

Overall, this is a very good live performance by Deep Purple who is still rocking!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW (i-Rock! Music Community)



by Gatot


DEEP PURPLE Music Online:
recommended progarchives.com worldwide prog rock stores

  • GEMM, Vinyl Records & CDs Rare Albums (Out of Print and Imports)
  • AMAZON, find cheap, used and new stuff with the marketplace
  • eBay, used or new | bid or buy now
More about DEEP PURPLE at Progarchives.com


]]> Sun, 05 Oct 2008 17:31:44 +0000 deep purple vocal powerful vocal line water lord gillan uncle jon lord night black night DEEP PURPLE - Come Hell Or High Water (1994) <![CDATA[Re Updates]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/862f2e4ffb3707198efe9ba59244a1fc http://www.musicratty.com/article/862f2e4ffb3707198efe9ba59244a1fc

18 VA - Mutant Disco vol 1
19 New Musik - Anywhere
22 Goldie - Timeless *
25 Daft Punk - Homework
25 Marvin Gaye - I Want You
26 Au Pairs - Playing With A Different Sex *
26 O.S.T. - Shaft ( Isaac Hayes) *
28 Wendy Carlos - Clockwork Original Score
31 Orb - Orbus Terrarum
33 VA - Ambient House
33 Godspeed You Black Emperor - Yanqui
34 Väth & Hawtin - Sound Of 3rd Season
34 Billy Idol - Greatest Hits *
34 Steve Harley, Cockney Rebel - Best of *
35 LCD Sound Systems - LCD Sound System
36 Dave Angel - Classics
37 Darren Emerson mix Psychotrance 2
37 Level 42 - Level Best
38 Felix da Housecat - Kittenz & Thee Glitz
38 Laibach - Anthems
38 Lamb - Lamb
38 Laswell & Namlook - Psychonavigation
38 Smiths - Hatful Of Hollow
39 Blondie - Beautiful - The Remix Album
39 Sarah McLachlan - Remixed
39 Mecano - Snake Tales For Dragon
39 Material - Temporary Music (1979-1981)
40 Juno Reactor - Transmissions
40 Terence McKenna - Seeking The Stone
40 Scientist - Dub From The Ghetto
40 Ben Neill - Tryptical
40 Nada Surf - Let Go
40 Afrika Bambaataa & Family - The Light
40 Time Zone - Warlocks And Witches
41 Chemical Brothers, The - Surrender
41 Rhythm & Sound & Tikiman - Showcase
41 Altered Images - Happy Birthday..plus
41 Whodini - Whodini
42 VA - MSX00.1 10th Anniversary S E
42 Porcupine Tree - In Absentia
43 Meat Beat Manifesto - Storm The Studio
43 Meat Beat Manifesto - RUOK
43 Twine - Recorder
43 Jello - Voile
44 Dopplereffekt - Linear accelerator
44 Blondie - Greatest Hits, Sound
44 Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream]]> Sun, 05 Oct 2008 17:03:00 +0000 sound lcd sound systems lcd sound system clockwork original score mutant disco vol emerson mix psychotrance happy birthday marvin gaye afrika bambaataa Re Updates <![CDATA[Album Reviews: Double Barreled Sunday Action!]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/4954b804e32fbf8f51b3c6be952f06c5 http://www.musicratty.com/article/4954b804e32fbf8f51b3c6be952f06c5 Ah Sunday, which is an old Irish word for “a day for 2 (two) album reviews!” Wait - it’s not? Oh well, I’ve got ‘em ready so I might as well use them:

House of Cosy Cushions
Animal Dreams

House of Cosy Cushions have an almost fragile darkness about them, like a brittle chocolate that’s breaks apart on touch. With the closest analogy being a three-way collision between Muse, Placebo, and PJ Harvey, Animal Dreams lives in the unorthodox songwriting of Richard Bolhuis, who was apparently never told songs aren’t supposed to sound this way so, unaware, he went and made it work.

And yes it works - and works well. Each song is a delicate collection of elements which shouldn’t go together but somehow are a darkly beautiful mix that you’re afraid to touch for fear of it shattering. It’s not an album to put on at your next house party - rather, it’s an album to put on in times of introspection and deep thought. It’s challenging to be sure, but rewarding.

Me being me, my favorite off the album is the more uptempo She Dances, which sounds positively Peter Murphy-ish, but I’d be remiss in my album-reviewer duties if I didn’t point out the beauty of the opening chord progression in “Come Dance,” the ethereal backing vocals in “Angel Glow,” the deranged Western feel of “Animal Dream,” the menacing playful horn in “She’s Not Your Witch,” the weaving violin riff in “Good Old Love.” Animal Dreams is filled with such moments - little snapshots of an upside down world gone right, mismatched parts that, in one unpredictable instant, become a complete and beautiful picture. A worthwhile listen.

MP3: House of Cosy Cushions - Animal Dreams

Millsted
Umm … Yea

Bands like Millsted are why I listen to music - accomplished musicians who take skillful songwriting chops and use it to fucking rock your life upside down. They’re a band still playing with their sound, cycling between straight out modern rock like Kaiser Chiefs (”Hit The Lights (Rock House)”), technically-challenging rock like Living Colour (”The Black Anger”), classic punk like Minor Threat (”The Anticipation Station”), and jazzy Big Beat grooves like Fatboy Slim (that hidden track 8 minutes after “The End”).

Even with my speakers turned all the way up, the floor shaking from the bass, it’s still not loud enough. You listen to tracks like “Hit The Lights (Rock House)” and wonder if it’d be possible for Millsted to rock any more, then they hit you up with “The Fucking Bronze” and you’re blown away all over again.

We’ve shared “Dirty Elvis” with you before (it’s still wicked good) but this is our first chance to see the range of Millsted on display. There’s something here for everyone, although perhaps not everything here is for everyone. I think the common reaction will be a collection of tracks you love, many you’ll listen to, and a couple you’ll skip. What those tracks are, of course, will vary depending on each person, which makes Umm … Yea such a treat. I love “Hit The Lights,” “The Culprit,” “The Fucking Bronze,” and “Dirty Elvis” - check it out and see which ones you can’t live without.

MP3: Millsted - Dirty Elvis

- Keath (MySpace)

]]> Sun, 05 Oct 2008 16:56:01 +0000 album reviews album rock rock house house animal dreams animal dreams lives love hit hit Album Reviews: Double Barreled Sunday Action! <![CDATA[Heads We Dance Nailgun Mixtape!]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/8e718953eb24777cadaba5c6aff686a0 http://www.musicratty.com/article/8e718953eb24777cadaba5c6aff686a0

Our friends in Heads We Dance sent over this nifty DJ Mix they made for their new residency in Leeds called Nailgun. It’s chock-full of delicious dancefloor goodies, a few of which I’ve included individually below. Download the mix, and by all means check out the night if you happen to be in Leeds on a Thursday night. The band also encourage you to contact them with song requests as well as for spots on the guestlist!

The band also have a new single coming out next month called ‘The Human Touch’/'You Are Never Alone With Model 21′ through Gold City Records. The single includes remixes by Charlie Fanclub, Louis La Roche, Harris Robotis & more TBA.

DOWNLOAD THE MIX: HWD Nailgun Mix

NAILGUN TRACKLISTING:
Daft Punk - Fresh
Le Knight Club - Nymphae Song
Simian Mobile Disco - Hustler (Joakim Remix)
MSTRKRFT - Bounce (Felix Cartal Remix)
Treasure Fingers - Cross The Dancefloor (Lifelike Remix)
The Presets - Talk Like That (Miami Horror Remix)
Cut Copy - Hearts On Fire (Knightlife Remix)
Public Enemy - Harder Than You Think (NeOn Remix)
The Kills - Cheap and Cheerful (SebastiAn Remix)
The Black Ghosts - Any Way You Choose To Give It (Boy 8 Bit Remix)
A-Trak - Say Whoa
Ladyhawke - Dusk Till Dawn (Linus Loves Remix)
Chromeo - Tenderoni (MSTRKRFT Remix)
2pac - California Love (Big Na$ty Remix)
MGMT - Kids (Soulwax Nite Version)
Black Affair - Tak! Attack!
Madonna - Into The Groove (Sidechains Remix)

- Sean

]]> Sun, 05 Oct 2008 16:44:17 +0000 nailgun hwd nailgun mix mix single includes remixes single delicious dancefloor goodies dancefloor felix cartal remix simian mobile disco Heads We Dance Nailgun Mixtape! <![CDATA[Mixed Bag Series @ Acadia Cafe]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/64d2922ba8951d1ad9c79da08c2ae940 http://www.musicratty.com/article/64d2922ba8951d1ad9c79da08c2ae940 TONIGHT!

More Cowbell’s Mixed Bag Series
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Time: 8:30 PM to 12:00 AM
Cover Charge: $0.00
Ages: All Ages		  
Side A:

Everythings Black & White

Side B:

Cell Phone

Johnson Twins

]]> Sun, 05 Oct 2008 15:19:40 +0000 johnson twins cover charge ages everythings black cell phone sunday october time tonight Mixed Bag Series @ Acadia Cafe <![CDATA[Song of the Day 10/5/08]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/67b3e8fae58265185503c4f4996223ad http://www.musicratty.com/article/67b3e8fae58265185503c4f4996223ad

Counting ‘em down all the way to #1…today’s is:

660. Black Sabbath – Electric Funeral

Dismiss this song as part of the soundtrack of every 13-year-old stoner’s life and miss out on the fun. Sure, Geezer Butler’s lyrics aren’t exactly poetic, but they make a point – this is an antiwar song! The various parts of the suite are loaded with those eerie chromatics that early Sabbath loved so much. Sure, there’s that brain-dead guy from that reality show singing, but this song came out thirty years before he became synonymous with dubious tv instead of dubious music. And as just about anyone who’s ever been in a band knows, this song is a blast to play (and just about everyone can - that’s what makes it so much fun).

       ]]> Sun, 05 Oct 2008 14:14:56 +0000 song antiwar song 13-year-old stoners life synonymous withdubious tv geezer butlers lyrics eerie chromatics dubious music fun brain-dead guy Song of the Day 10/5/08 <![CDATA[It's Your Planet...Deal With It!]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/389a90bb2f130e4f07cc353418cb6ba7 http://www.musicratty.com/article/389a90bb2f130e4f07cc353418cb6ba7


Just smile...in 3.8 million years Asteroid 415 will hit earth and none of it will matter!

...the Black Frog Restaurant will no longer promote a free Skinny Dip sandwich for a naked plunge into Moosehead Lake.

A trick of light created havoc on a New Zealand beach today when people saw what they thought was a tsunami rushing towards them.

A Gettysburg man was charged after police said he exited his home naked and tried to get neighbors to engage him in a karate fight.

Pennsylvania State Police at Newport are investigating the theft of the "Home of Mr. Wiener'' sign from the front of the former Ada's Country Bar.

]]> Sun, 05 Oct 2008 10:18:00 +0000 home naked home black frog restaurant hit earth country bar police zealand beach moosehead lake naked plunge It's Your Planet...Deal With It!