Sunday: Gypsophonic Disko funday...

Just read a 'lil Times-Pic feature on a new Ben Elman production.  "Gypsophonic Disko" released a mashup disc featuring New Orleans Bounce combined with Eastern European, Klezmer, Funk and Hip-Hop.  Elman is the sax player for local band Galactic, who also happened to have the same godfather as me at one point (weird no?).  Nice little selection of local and national/international names featured here including.  This might be something unlike anything you have heard before.

A big thank you to Ben and all of the artists who presumably cleared their materials for inclusion (or who will decline to sue, due to copyright protection exemptions afforded for de minimus and fair-uses in non-commercial applications).  I love American in copious amounts this morning and after a listen to this mix, apparently Kazakstan and, hell all of the "...-astan" countries too.

So jump, or er Bounce on this free downloadable mixtape right now:

Gypsophonic Disko: NOLA-Phonic Vol. 1

And while you're at it, pick up a copy of Galactic's excellent new album, "Ya Ka May".  The disc celebrates the best of local NOLA artists, who despite disparate ages and musical genres, all demonstrate the ability to funk it up like pros.

Galactic
Ya Ka May on iTunes (features a few bonus tracks)

The General Specific: Music That Makes You Feel Warmer

It's been a damn cold winter in New Orleans and Al and I have turned in part to Band of Horses to cut through this frigid funk.   The band, along with a few other artists mentioned below, has a great ability to kick out some musical sunshine when you need it most.  And needless to say, the prospect of seeing them at a potentially toasty Jazz Fest this year (along with all of the other great talent), puts an even brighter gleam on our newly-acquired Brass Pass.


In a totally unoriginal anecdote, I'll admit when I first heard singer Ben Bridwell, I was drawn to compare him to My Morning Jacket's Jim James. This has subsequently passed; while both of them generally favor high-register delivery, echoey production and a similar litany of influences (Neil Young, Brian Wilson etc), they pretty easily distinguishable. James has a little froggier thing going on, a penchant for falsetto singing and a bizarre, seemingly off-key charm. Bridwell on the other hand is bit cleaner and just exceptionally earnest sounding. Further, MMJ has largely shed the shared space of the bands' musical Venn Diagram with a shift towards more orchestrated and epic arrangements and occasional forays into spacey-monster funk.  Coincidentally, MMJ will also be playing at the Fest.

But today, we're diggin' Band of Horses and this is a great way to start off:



Band of Horses really define the hell out of charming indie rock, belying an obvious appreciation for musical Americana and they look like their having a great time doing it.  Influences range from the aforementioned Mr. Young and Brian Wilson's best Beach Boys efforts to Band-esque country rock and piano-driven romping Beatles pop.  Off-beat hooks, punchy drumming and simply layered guitars, combined with Bridwell's delivery really drive their tunes into your noggin.  With a new album due out this year, Band of Horses will add to two very good efforts out on Sub-Pop.  I would start with their most recent release, "Cease to Begin" and if you are not hooked by the second or third listen to "Is There A Ghost" and "the General Specific", I will eat crow (iTunes links below).  Their first release, Everything All the Time is slightly less accessible at the outset but rewarding nonetheless.  Both discs are full of quirky tunes you'll be humming before you know it.

While we're on the topic: 

Check out Lissie (with whom some Horses are musically associated) and the Heartless Bastards to hear two unique female-fronted groups working through some similarly charming material.  Both were recorded by Fat Possum Records at various points, who have also worked to popularize the George Mitchell field recordings, RL Burnside, Junior Kimbrough and eventually the Black Keys.  Lissie really channels 60's California pop but presumably without the heroin.   She even has the freckly, down-to-earth M.O. to match.  The Heartless Bastards sound a bit like the Pretenders married Veruca Salt and had rockin' song babies. 

Enjoy!

Lissie


The Heartless Bastards

Links:

Band of Horses

My Morning Jacket

Lissie

Heartless Bastards

Fat Possum Records

WWOZ New Orleans Community Radio, Brass Pass link
(For the non-cognoscenti, the pass is "purchased" via donation to WWOZ and gets you into the festival everyday, allows you to go in and out and access a shady, private bathroom, fresh fruit and iced-mocha-laden nirvana.)
New Orleans Jazz Festival

Only darkness and Black and Gold... Supa Saint is my hero!

I take the bar exam next week (starting THE DAY AFTER THE SUPERBOWL) and I am too busy to generate original material right now. I know all 3 of you will be pissed. The only lights in my dismal life right now are the Superbowl this sunday and the Mid-City post-bar-dis-gras extravaganza Al and I are putting on (email for info).

And it's no secret that I am a massive Saints fan, having not missed a home game for any reason in over 3 years.  So instead of writing, I will feature several Supa Saint-related links this rainy thursday, including this one to the most awesome Saints video I have ever seen (also embedded below). Please also pick up a charity calendar made by Dirty Coast featuring Supa Saint and the rest of the Supa Friends here, which benefits the construction of a state of the art football facility in the 9th ward.

Congratulations Supa Saint for appearing on Sports Illustrated's Hot Clicks this morning.  Just remember this: I know who you are buddy and I think you're kickass.

Without further Ado:


I've also embedded one strangest videos I've ever seen, also a Saints-devoted production, feel free to give me your take: