The long awaited Top 10 Albums of 2007

Well hello there good people. My apologies for not keeping up with the tops the past couple of days. They have been a busy bunch; highlights include a Friday not worth mentioning; a great Saturday capped off with most awesome discussion with one of my favorite people in the world. Sunday was of course Skins game day, and not only that, but it was Dallas Week, and we kicked some arse. Yes they had nothing to play for, but we still won by 21 (much love ST21) and when we win this Saturday, we come beat your asses in 2 two weeks on your field bitches.

So I arrive at today, with my top 10 albums of 2007. Hold on tight, it's going to be a bumpy ride.



10. Modest Mouse, We Were Dead Before The Ships Even Sank;
I am a little surprised by this pick. I like the album when I first got it, but as with most of their stuff, it waned a little in the following weeks. But with the addition of the new guitarist, and the nice twist to their sound, I think this deserves a mention.



9. Feist, The Reminder;
This almost deserved a higher number, but the overplay by iTunes commercials knocked it down pretty low. There is some great song writing, and her voice is as powerful and beautiful as ever. I had the chance to see her early on her tour for this album, and what a great show. She's the kind of performer where you can feel the emotion in her songs.



8. Iron and Wine, The Shepperd's Dog;
The latest from Sam Beam was not unexpected. The more plugged-in style was revealed in his his last couple of EPs. What was unexpected was how well Beam was able to grow his sound so far from his early mellow masterpieces. There are still a couple of songs in the old style, but there is much more to choose from, and be entertained by. The next work may garner itself a much higher ranking if he can stay on this path.



7. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Some Loud Thunder;
Start to finish, this work is not as strong as their self titled debut, but there is some really fun stuff on this album. I remember reading a review that talked about how the producer had a heavy hand in the sound, and I can hear certain songs that seemed to stray far from CYHSY sound. Nonetheless, as a sophomore effort, this one rocks.



6. Restoring Poetry in Music, Pyramids in Moscow;
This is another great work from the DC based group, further proving that hip-hop doesn't have to be just processed beats and egotistical self-gratifying rhymes. Two songs stand out in particular as a glimpse to the future; Life is Change, and Winning Loses. Both show great symmetry between everyone involved in creating noises, including production. There are a couple of songs that are not quite there, but nothing to skip over. This also gets mention as best album artwork of the list. (Check out the great Stephen Knox aka PointBlank)



5. Spoon, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga;
I am really getting to love this group. Early in their career, they used hands claps as their percussion to create an organic sound. In their latest release, they used them to compliment the drums, and the sound scape is much fuller and satisfying. Their song writing has always been tight around seemingly repetitive beats, but there is an element to it that gets you walking.



4. The Bad Plus, Prog;
If you like Jazz, and especially progressive fusion, then this is the album for you. If you've ever been interested in Jazz, but not that gay Kenny G shit, this is the album for you. If you've wanted to check out Jazz, but been afraid because of all those snobby assholes talking about "The notes between the notes", tell them to shut up, and go listen to this album. This is the kind of music where you get lost in moments that makes you laugh because it is that ridiculous.



3. Panacea, The Scenic Route;
The second appearance by Raw Poetic on my list. The Scenic Route is best "album" I've heard in a while. It's an album where there is a story that runs you through the life of a man who is unhappy, and after analyzing everything, decides it not worth it. After jumping out of a plane with no chute, he falls into an alternative universe where he gets to create the world anyway he wants. Guess what he creates?
The imagery of the lyrics is played out seamlessly with the layers of music, both samples and live instruments. The classical guitar break at the end of Blue Ice is one of the coolest pieces of music I've ever heard. These guys also did a series of videos explaining how the song was made, and what the story is, check them out on YouTube.



2. K-os, Atlantic Hymns For Disco;
His first two albums topped my "Heard in 2007, But Not Made in 2007" list, and he made a damn strong showing here. If you have not listened to the other two, it may be easier to start with this one, as it is the most accessible start to finish. Mixing genres and styles from all over the place, this album as very mature, and much like The Scenic Route above, shows a future for hip-hop that I like. K-os also shows an interesting side to sampling with this album. He has a live band play a guitar riff, or drum kick and loop it live, and morph it into the k-os song. I think it is a great way to expand the use of samples, and give you a lot more freedom. Can you guess the sample in track 4 Equalizer?



1. Radiohead, In Rainbows;
Was there really any doubt? I won't bore you with another review. All I will say is the second disc that came with the disc box is growing on me. You can tell why they didn't make it into the first album. It is not because they are no good, it's because they didn't fit with the journey being woven with the first 10 tracks.

Well I hope you enjoyed all of my tops lists. Have a happy new year, and I will see you in 2008.

Top 5 movies I wish I'd seen in 2007

I was going to continue my "Tops" list with the top movies of 2007, but I realized that I didn't really see many movies this year, at least nothing worth putting in a tops list. So I've decided to list the movies I wish I had seen, and in some particular order they go:

#5 Hot Fuzz: This is the next movies by the guys who did Shaun of the Dead, which was hilarious.

#4 No Country for Old Men: I have heard only great things about this movie from friends, and I still have a chance, but I'll probably wait for it to come on HBO. I've liked pretty much every Cohen Brothers film I've seen, so good times.

#3 Gone Baby Gone: Also heard good things about this one. And even though it was directed by Ben Ass-fleck, at least he's not in it (or maybe he is, but he's not staring in it) I've always preferred his brother Casey anyway.

#2 The Darjeeling Limited: The next Wes Anderson film, with the typical cast of at least one Wilson brother, and Jason Schwartzman. If you haven't see The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissu, then NetFlix it (or whatever the term is now for renting).

#1 Grindhouse: I am actually very disappointed with myself for not seeing this one. I am a big Tarantino fan, and I love the concept of the two movies. Plus I head the fake trailers between the two movies were great. If you see me before the end of the year, make sarcastic comments about my intelligence, yell at me (hot women can spank me) and shake your head disapprovingly at me for not seeing this movie. Bad Kevin.

Till tomorrow yall.
Peace

The begining of the tops of 2007 lists

Everyday from now until the new year, I will be doing my tops of 2007. I have not figured out what I am doing for all of them, but I know I will be finishing with the top albums of 2007 (can you guess my #1?) And tonight, I will star with the top 10 albums I first heard in 2007, but were not made in 2007.



#9: Frou Frou Details:
I just started listening to this a few weeks ago, and it is very nice. It may not stay in my rotation very long, since it has a clean sound, but a little out of my ordinary range. It is a sudo-electronica sound, but nice vocals, and very good production. It is good for background while at work.



#8: Beck The Information:
A great return for Beck, with a return to producer Nigel Goodrich (a la Radiohead fame). This apparently was written soon after Sea Change (which is a gorgeously pain-filled album) There is still the typical Beck sampling and weirdness, but some very solid song writing, and there is hardly a dud on the album.



#7: Kings of Convenience Quiet is the New Loud:
I had the second KOC album for a long time, but just got their first. The lyrics are much darker, but the smoothness of the music makes everything better. It's because of these guys that I heard about Feist.



#6: Seu Jorge The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions
If you've seen the Wes Anderson film The Life Aquatic with Steve Zisso, then you know about Seu Jorge. He was an actor in the film, but his role was to play music for the crew while searching for the elusive Jaguar Shark. The songs he sings though are acoustic Portuguese adaptations of David Bowie songs. The original soundtrack had only 5 of Jorge's versions, but back in 2005, they released a full studio album. I have never been a big Bowie fan, but these versions are a great listen.



#5: Wilco Yankee Hotel Foxtrot:
I am just beginning to work my way through the Wilco catalog. Not sure why I waited so long cause they are pretty damn good. From what I hear, this is album that put them on the map, and like the first album of their's I heard, A Ghost is Born, it takes a couple of listens to fully understand. But very well written and full songs that easily get stuck in your head craving another listen.



#4: Of Montreal Satanic Panic in the Attic:
My friend Pat got me this album (via Enron) as well as three others on this list. This is a fun album, high on creativity and uniqueness without making themselves unreachable. There is fun guitar play, and a nice smattering of samples. P.S. They are not actually from Montreal, they are from Atlanta.



#3: The Sea and Cake Oui:
This is another album from Pat/Enron. This is a group out of Chicago that writes some damn good crisp music. They guitar and vocals mix in a smooth wave, almost like a lava lamp keeping you occupied for 45 minutes, but with good music not magic florescent blobs.



#2: Danger Doom The Mouse and the Mask:
The mixing of Danger Mouse (beats) and MF Doom (MC) is a great combo. Not that I know w whole lot about hip-hop and who's hot, but these two guys know how to make music. Danger Mouse is well known for is work as one half of Gnarles Barkley, and MF Doom is famous for wearing a metal mask, and being a little off, but he has such a smooth flow and it melds perfectly with Mouse's beats.



#1: k-os Exit AND Joyful Rebellion:
Yes, this is two albums, but I couldn't choose between them which was better, so they get to share top honors. These are the first two albums by one of my new favorites. It is great to hear the growth he made of the beginning of his career, and how he has transitioned to a little more R&B sound, his roots will always be in hip-hop. There is more a a Reggae feel to some of the songs, reflecting handful of years he grew up in Jamaica, but his rock influence strong. Exit a more brash lyrically, and shows his youthful arrogance as he brags about himself from time to time. But he doesn't stay there very long. Neutroniks is a tight song, with samples and a fairly repetitive beat, but it's one of those songs you can't not dance to. Which is followed by the album closer Superstar Pt Zero, which sets the stage for what is to come.



Joyful Rebellion starts with a weird song Emcee Murdah, which slow and talks about the risks of being a hip-hop MC. Track 4 Crabbukit is a killer must listen. He uses more samples on this album, but still it is predominantly a live instrument creation.


So there is my Top 10 albums I first heard in 2007, but we not made in 2007. Check back tomorrow for the next list.

Happy X-mas

Just wanted to wish a very happy x-mas to you and your family.

Below is my favorite x-mas pic for two reasons. One, because it is so wrong on so many levels, and b) because somehow, my friend Tom was able to convince a Santa to allow this pic to be taken. Bless you Tom.



Love and Peace,
K-dizzle

Happy Festivus yall

Today is the unofficial celebration of Festivus. And I will do my best to follow the tradition the great Frank Costanza passed down.



Festivus begins with the airing of grievances, and while I may have grievances with some people, I do not think it is fair to air them in a public forum where I can't assume everyone is at least half drunk. So instead, I will air my grievances against the karmic world.

First and foremost, why the hell did that guy have to crash into my car in that rest stop in NY. What the hell was that all about? Then to top it off, the ass-hole doesn't have insurance, so now I'm out $2000 of my own money, which I have to sue him in NJ small claims court to recoup, assuming he doesn't leave the country or go bankrupt first. Then to top it off, I pick up the car and the transmission dies, and now I have to shell out another $4000 to get it fixed. Fuck you Karma!

My second grievance concerns the shit load of money I spent on this dating service "It's Just Lunch" They set you up on blind dates based on personality surveys, and it is low pressure because well, it's just lunch (or after dinner drinks for those who prefer to have a little alcohol before a blind date) So I've been on 8 of the "dates" now and and only one has turned into a second date, and she was moving to Iraq for 6 months 2 weeks after our date. And no they have been calling me to say "we found a match" and they get my availability, and never call me back with the date. You suck It's Just Lunch, I want my money back.

My last grievance for this Festivus is about society as a whole. We seem to be moving further and further away from the true meaning things. Take Christmas for example. We spend more time thinking about the perfect gift for someone, and forget why we are giving them a gift in the first place. We give gifts to the people we love, and who love us back. We give gifts because we want to thank those people for bringing joy into our lives. I heard a radio commercial for a jewelry store where the guy at the end says something like "I could say I love her, but actions speak louder than words" Yes, actions speak louder than words, but the act of buying a diamond necklace, then not showing you love her the rest of the year, says "I'm willing to spend $1000 on you in December and hope that shows I love you until next December when I'll spend $1100" Acts of love are not about how much you spend on a person, they are about giving of yourself.

Happy Festivus, Chanukah, Christmas, x-mas, Kwanza, and most importantly Happy Love to you all!

Going Hi Tiz-ek

I got to do this thing with this person today. I had a lot of fun. Unfortunately, the power of "The Man" kept it shorter than desired, but tomorrow presents another chance for continuance.

So my friend and fellow blogger Mike told me today that I need to start fancying up the ol' MyCI home base a bit with pics and videos and all that 23rd century shit. And since I'd rather through the light on other people, I'm going to hype up my boys Panacea/Restoring Poetry in Music.

First I should explain why the two names. Restoring Poetry in Music (RPM), is a band that formed back in in the day. I was living in a house with the guitarist in '02 and they are good. Then the MC met this guy K-Murdock and they put together an album under the name Panacea. Over the years, 5 albums have come out between the two names, with much colaboration between them, and they preform live as one with songs from both groups and it is dope.

Here is the first single off Panacea's major label debut, Ink Is My Drink, called Starlight.



And here is the first single off their second album, The Scenic Route called Pop's Said



And now two videos from RPM. First is Poetry Bum off the Poetry Bum CD



And this is the first single off their second album Pyramids in Moscow, Less is More



You can check out both bands at www.myspace.com/panaceanmusic and www.myspace.com/restoringpoetryinmusic

Stay tuned. I've got some good end of the year stuff coming

Official In Ranbows Review

Alrighty, so here is the long awaited review of In Rainbows, the new Radiohead album. I posted on my old blog the day I got the album, that I was liking it so far, and I would wait until I got the second album in the disc box version before I commented officially. Well I received the disc box on Friday, and have made my way through disc 2 a few times, and here is what I got to say.

15 Steps: This is a great track to start off the album. At first I thought it was a little odd to lead of the album, and would have better placed as track 3, but after a few listens (I'm up to 65 now by the way) it is a great way to start. It sets the tone for the album as a kick-ass rock tune. It is in 5/4 time signature, with a minimalist approach at the beginning. The guitar comes in beautifully in the left channel, and then in the second chorus, there is an awesome bass line that pops up that gets your shoulders moving. At the end, the harmony changes up in a typical Radiohead way, reminding you that even though this is some new shit, it's still Radiohead.

Bodysnatchers: Read online that this track was recorded in one take, and damn it shows. Very nice layering with gritty Jonny Greenwood guitar coming in towards the end of the first verse. There is a line in the first chorus "I have no idea what I am talking about" and one reviewer said "finally Thom Yorke agrees with the rest of the world" Fuck that guy. It's about taking that pause at times in life and saying to yourself, what the fuck I am I talking about? There is again beautiful guitar breaks after the second verse, and then again to finish the song it rocks out. It's going to be a great one live.

Nude: The first slower song on the album, it starts with some nice strings and Thom harmonizing, and then goes into a minimalist bass and drum pattern. The song is about a chance to cheat on your significant other, and the complacency you tend to feel when you've settled with your "soul mate". "You'll go to hell for what your dirty mind is thinking" Dark and beautiful like only Radiohead can do.

Weird Fishes/Arpeggi: This song has some of the best lyrics (second to House of Cards) "Everybody leaves if they get the chance" and "I'll hit the bottom and escape" talking about sinking to the bottom of the sea to escape. There is a bubbly meter to the guitar, and Ed comes in with some very nice harmony about half way.

All I Need: This is a cool song, perfect in the flow of the album. The lyrics are interesting, and something I feel I can relate to. The first verse and chorus go,
I'm the next act
waiting in the wings
I'm an animal
Trapped in your hot car
I am all the days
that you choose to ignore

You are all I need
You are all I need
I'm in the middle of your picture
Lying in the reeds

It is about thinking you know what is good for someone just because you think it is good for you. It is a hard lesson to learn, thinking you know what is good for other people. But if you learn it right, you recognize that when you are wrong about other people's needs, you are probably wrong about your own as well.

Faust Arp: A pretty acoustic song, in the vein of The Beatles "Julia" one of my favorite Beatles songs. An interesting lyric towards the end "I love you but enough is enough/ a last stop/there's no real reason/you've got a head full of feathers/you got melted butter" If you can tell me what the means, I'll my first child after you.

Reckoner: I say Reckoner is my least favorite song only because something has to be least. It is a good song, again minimalist, with a heavy emphasis on the tambourine. I think this was one of the songs Thom played drums on when I say them live last year. The lyrics are very humanistic, and you can make similarities to Radiohead's, and Thom's especially, passion for stopping the human contribution to global warming. "Because we separate like ripples on a blank shore"

House of Cards: "I don't want to be your friend/I just want to be your lover/No mater how it starts/No matter how it ends/Forget about your house of cards/And I'll do mine" A great song, smooth and melodic. Gorgeous layering and the production is excellent, a great example of Thom Yorke's vocal ability.

Jigsaw Falling Into Place: I fight myself over whether this is my favorite, or Bodysnatchers. It probably has the most lyrics of any Radiohead song ever, and they are pretty introspective. It appears as a commentary about music listeners, but I see it also as a reflection about society as a whole not really seeing the depth of reality, and being fooled by the mind-numbing media that has no real meaning.

Videotape: A fucking absolutely fucking gorgeous song. Piano driven in a classic Thom Yorke way. The song starts, "When I'm at the pearly gates/This will be on my videotape" I have this vision of Thom video-tapping the birth of his child and the joy he and his wife are sharing at that moment because of the child, and then that video being the greatest gift he can give back to his child on his death bed. The song ends "No mater what happens now/You shouldn't be afraid/Because I know today has been the greatest day I've ever seen" I dream of having those kind of moments.

Well that is my review of In Rainbows. I highly recommend everyone one of you getting this album, I will make you a copy if you don't want to spend the money. In my mind it is the album of the year, hands down, and I've heard a ton of great shit this year. I did not comment on the second disc because I've only listened to it about 6 times. If you want my comments on those 8 songs, talk to in a month or so.

Peace

The first snow/#21

This is one of my favorite days of the year. For me, winter officially begins with the first snow, and yes, we still have 15 days until winter actually begins and we'll probably not see snow again until February, but I will celebrate now. I used to have a tradition on t he first snowfall of the year where I would run around my yard in nothing but my underwear, but I think I might actually be maturing (insert you own sarcastic comment here).

I also wanted to briefly comment on the Sean Taylor stuff that went down last week. As you all know, I am a huge Skins fan, and Taylor was one of my favorite players. I was shocked when I first heard the news, but like some, I was not surprised. Michael Wilbon has taken a lot of criticism about his article Dying Young, Black (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/27/AR2007112702680.html registration is free, you just need to sign up) and how he said he was not surprised Taylor was shot, but not necessarily because of his past like many have said, rather because the culture of violence in our country. He called for an open honest discussion about how the number one killer of black men between the ages of 15-24 is murder.

I can never fully understand the difficulty of this situation, I will never have the life experiences to gain the perspective of what it means to be black in America (or any country). The perspective I can share though is an overall fear about the direction our country (and humanity in general) is heading. I know every generation looks at the ones that follow and fear the worst, but I am genuinely afraid of how our value system in degrading and what we perceive as a society is important.

I think technology has played a major role in this, in the way we seem to be creating more and better ways of avoiding actual human contact to the point where our lack of reliance on other actual people has made us devalue other people's lives. We no longer see the need to have actual human contact and perceive our lives more important than anyone else. While a sense of self-preservation is natural, and necessary, but not to the level of thinking someone else does not have as much of a right to existence as you.