Between the new Gorillaz and Erykah Badu albums coming out, I must say that spring is looking up to become a glorious musical season, what say you?  I’ve been steadily pumping Demon Days and the self-titled record this past week.  I’ve always appreciated Gorillaz for being able to carry their characters and narrative for this long.  Here’s “Superfast Jellyfish” featuring Gruff Rhys and De La Soul.  You love it.

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I pretty much only want to listen to music that sounds like it could’ve been in a Disney movie.

MGMT “Flash Delirium”

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There are so many reasons why I like this video, but can we establish the fact that the footage of the 6-year-old girl looking like she’s trying to move a refrigerator with her hips at 3:18 is not one of them??  But everything else…the trippy kaleidoscope George Clinton, Big Boi being Big Boi, and Too $hort is GRAYING!!  And still his shortness leaves him dissatisfied.  But this video wont.  Steady waiting for that Sir Luscious Leftfoot.

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When I was in the 6th grade I attended Marching On, my school district’s annual musical. I saw all the 5th graders who had taken percussion over the course of the past year, and thought to myself “Dammit, the Drizzletron!  You should’ve taken percussion!  Now it’s too late, you old fogey!” (I continue to use the word fogey) Since then, I’ve surrendered a number of potential skills due to thinking that I was “too old” – DJing, breakdancing, guitar, and muffin making come to mind right now.  Of course, the notion of being “too old” is a farce, unless you’re talking about getting your diaper changed for you.  Ah yes, there comes a certain point in every young adult’s life when they must learn to change their own diaper…otherwise it’s just creepy.

With that said, I’ve decided to take up the MPC (a digital drum machine that enlists the use of samples).  I’ve been tangoing with it for the last 5-odd years, but my insecurities with keeping a rhythm (pshh, Asians) has deterred me from doing much more than the sound effects I played for the opening song in ’08’s Natural Electricity Tour.

But HARK!  The pre-SXSW atomic explosion of a rehearsal space that used to be our living room:

With so many musical robots staring you at the face, how does one resist plugging their fingers into their sonic sweetnesses?  One does not.  And so I’m finally ignoring all the hindrances set by my offbeat discoordination, and getting down.  I’ve got 8 days to get good enough to impress at the country’s largest music conference. I WON’T NOT HAPPEN!  Rehearsal footage coming soon, via Rafael Casal’s suggestion.

And though I may have years to go before I get to connoisseur status, one can always dream of becoming a master.  My latest source of inspiration?  Fellow golden earthling Nosaj Thing:

Damn thy angelic fingers!

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A few weeks ago I pledged that I was going to wait for Erykah Badu’s new album to come out before listening to any more of the songs on it.  At the time, the new single “Window Seat” had dropped and I ran away with my ears cupped.  Well, my cup has runneth over.  And yes, that is a biblical reference that makes no sense in this context.  But it’s true.  I woke up this morning to a video of Ms. Badu playing with the Roots on the Jimmy Fallon show and seriously, people, what do you take me as?  Of course I was gonna watch that shit!  And watch I did.

So there it is.  Love me some Badu + Roots.  And just to revisit why, here’s some more to hold you over until the ever-pending Return of Ankh actually comes through.

Erykah Badu + The Roots “I Wanna Be Where You Are”

The Roots + Badu + D’Angelo “Shining Star”

The Roots + Badu + Eve “You Got Me”

Common + Badu + The Roots “All Night Long”

Happy Thorsday!

Via Not Quite Millionaires

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So do y’all like it better when I embed video via plugin or the traditional way?  Am I the only one who thinks about these things???

Aaaaaaanyway.  Jean-Michel Basquiat.  What more can I say?  Ever since I was introduced to his work, he has been one of the biggest influences in my life.  His ability to seamlessly transition from painting to writing, music to visual, fashion to introspect, and to do it all within a few years yet still impact the world.  Sure, a tragic death isn’t something that I believe any artist in their right mind aspires for.  But even still, on hindsight the urgency behind Basquiat’s work suggests that he worked as if there was no other choice.

I’m sooooooo juiced that I’m going to be at SXSW for the screening of The Radiant Child, a new documentary uncovering never-before-seen footage of Basquiat right at the height of his career.  At times, especially in today’s realms of Youtube views, blog posts, flashing lights, and TV specials, it’s good to get a reminder of what draws me to being an artist in the first place – making pretty things to hear and listen to, and to be around others who enjoy the same.

Via Couch Sessions

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(womp womp…sometimes the dopest bands have the worst internet policies.  click HERE for unembedable the video)

Whaaaaaaaat?? You mean you don’t have brainears???  Get with the 21st Century, deafrebrum! (that’s a derogatory term for people who don’t have ears on their brains, and you should be offended).  And yes, watch the video above.  Tis the new one for the Gorillaz single “Stylo” and it features Mos Def and Bobby Womack.  And if you think you’re impressed now, just wait until this link below, which features the ohhhhh-soooooo-dooooooope Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, a crew that has been invading my speakers quite on the daily.  Hot dizzam.

Gorillaz ft. Mos Def & Hypnotic Brass Ensemble “Sweepstakes”

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The people of Boston’s Sonnymoon are sweet, down to earth, and possess that rare spark that can only be described as genius undiscovered.  To catch an act in this moment, where the balance between amazing and personable is reached, is great to see.  I co-sign this bunch all the way.  If you haven’t copped their album Golden Age, do so NOW.

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It’s no secret that I’m quite into this Janelle Monáe lady.  Back in ‘07 it was her EP Metropolis: The Chase that soundtracked iLL-Lit’s first “tour” (which consisted of like 4 dates in a row in Southern California so we were like “6 hours away for more than one night? TOUR!” And besides her music displaying a sound that was fresh and much-needed, I was quickly drawn in by the philosophy held by her and her crew, the Wondaland Arts Society. “Imagination Inspires Nations,” read the hundreds of campaign posters wildly waved around at her first shows.  And like a good campaign, the word spread and two years later she returns with Metropolis: The ArchAngel, now armed with a Grammy nomination, major label support, a much richer live show, and an exponentially larger fanbase. Even still, what I admire most is her steadfast commitment to her message, in spite of the dramatic changes that have occurred around her.  Shortly after she was signed to Bad Boy, her Wondaland colleague Mitchell A. Martian told me that it was only after being sure that she maintained full creative control over her work that she agreed to the record deal – Wondaland takes care of virtually everything artistic, even down to the mastering and marketing ideas.  And so last week with the release of not one but two new tracks, I was pleased to be greeted by my inbox with a familiar piece from Wondaland that serves more as a call to action than a commercial:

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When Dogma director Kevin Smith isn’t getting kicked off of Southwest flights for taking up too much seat, he’s doing cool Hollywood famous people stuff, like directing Dogma, and going to Prince’s house.  Yeah, that’s right.  He went to Prince’s house, and then went on to film a 30-minute storytelling about Prince’s house and selling DVDs of it…what a dick!  Bootleg that shit on YouTube.  Anyway, in that story he reveals that Prince has microphones set up everywhere in his house, so that regardless of where he is, he can hum an idea and it’ll be recorded.  COOL!

So, in perfect Orwellian fashion, the internets have unveiled seven animalistically commanding videos of a Prince and the Revolution rehearsal recorded in 1984.  If I were a person who had other people selling DVDs of them telling stories about coming over to my house, I’d have reached the pinnacle of privacy-violation-irritation years ago.  But maybe that’s why I’m not Prince.*

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