In an interview I posted with Open Mike Eagle last month, the L.A.-based art-rap auteur opened up about his new album, 4NML HSPTL, due out June 26 on Fake Four: “It’s the place where rappers, or any artists, go when they try to know too much. It’s a place you end up at. I decided [...]
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Open Mike Eagle: Universe Man (feat. Serengeti)
Mega Ran’s guide on How to Win at Kickstarter
As someone who recently raised a staggering sum of more than $15,000 for his most recent project through Kickstarter, Phoenix rapper Mega Ran is certainly qualified to offer his tips and tricks for success with the crowd-funding site, which has become an increasingly popular way for musicians to raise capital to record.True to his roots [...]
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Mouse Powell: Holding Home (video)
These days, it’s easy to criticize Arizona, but it takes balls to stand up for it.Don’t get me wrong: I’m not gonna sit here and say I’m not embarrassed by the ever-growing list of controversial headlines my home state seems to be making. But when every Tom, Dick and Harry with a Twitter account or [...]
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Beastie Boys: She’s On It (video)
In keeping with the theme of the last post, here’s some more Licensed to Ill-era goodness from the Beastie Boys. A non-album track, “She’s On It” was originally released on the soundtrack for the 1985 flick Krush Groove. (And here’s a party icebreaker for ya: Krush Groove was written by Ralph Farquhar, father of quick-lipped [...]
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Beastie Boys on Late Show starring Joan Rivers (circa 1987)
I was overwhelmed Monday by very kind and unbelievably flattering feedback on my post about MCA, which probably speaks more to the legacy and impact of the Beastie Boys than anything. I heard from so many people from various corners of my life who were all recalling their best Beasties stories or mourning MCA’s death [...]
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RIP Adam Yauch, aka MCA (1964-2012)
After news broke of Adam Yauch’s death on Friday, I spent a good portion of my weekend doing what just about everyone else whoever loved the Beastie Boys did: I listened to Check Your Head. I listened to Licensed to Ill. I listened to Ill Communication. I listened to Paul’s Boutique. You get the idea. [...]
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Bass Drum of Death: I Wanna Be Forgotten
Bass Drum of Death, who didn’t seem to have nearly the number of technical issues as Japandroids at Phoenix show in September, are coming back to town to play Rhythm Room on July 8.It’s part of a tour with Brisbane, Australia’s DZ Deathrays – the “Bass Drum of Deathrays” tour – and to mark the [...]
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New Mega Ran: Up Up Down Down
Never mind that he’s just a nice, down-to-earth guy. I was reminded once again on Friday night during his performance at the Hidden House what a talent Mega Ran is — and he’s right here under our noses, lest any music fan in Phoenix take it for granted.One need only to look at the ridiculous [...]
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Q&A: Open Mike Eagle talks hip-hop in Uganda, 4NMLHSPTL and the misery of the letter C
Like listening to his albums, conversations with Open Mike Eagle tend to be enlightening, thought-provoking and pretty damn hilarious. The L.A.-based emcee is due for a big year: After headlining our Friday bonanza at Hidden House as part of the Desert Viper tour with Has-Lo, he’ll head to Uganda for three weeks on a hip-hop [...]
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Cursive and Cymbals Eat Guitars cover Gin Blossoms’ “Hey Jealousy”
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It’s hard to believe, but this year marks the 20th anniversary of the release of the Gin Blossoms’ hugely successful album New Miserable Experience. I am and forever will be curious about how time treats this album and its well of pop hits, especially because the band is from my home state. The whole thing [...]
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Homeboy Sandman: Mine All Mine (video)
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There’s rap songs, and then there are rap songs that make you wanna learn every word – the cadence, the flow, the rhythm. The songs that you wanna bump in your crappy car factory stereo system and pound your steering wheel to (and who cares if you end a sentence in a preposition?). There’s rap [...]
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Cut Chemist feat. Blackbird: Outro (Revisited)
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Cut Chemist is back with his first single since 2007, and the L.A.-based turntablist (people still using that word?) has gone all aggro on “Outro (Revisited).”He tells Rolling Stone, which premiered the track, that he created “Outro” after being released from jail (though it never says what he was in for): “I had a strong [...]
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Serengeti’s defense of Bartman: Don’t Blame Steve
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I’m a long-suffering Cubs fan – there is no other kind – and I can still remember watching Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series, the surreal feeling that my Cubbies were (repeat after me) five outs away from going to the World Series and then the utter despair when it all unraveled [...]
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Richard Buckner to release Willow 7-inch on Record Store Day
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My first must-have release for Record Store Day is here: Richard Buckner, whose husky baritone has shaken me since I saw him for the first time in Tempe in 1995, is releasing a 7-inch for the song “Willow,” which, from what I can understand, was a pre-order bonus track from his 2011 album Our Blood. [...]
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Announcing: Open Mike Eagle, Has-Lo, MegaRan, April 27 at Hidden House
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I’m far from a professional show promoter – and the Valley is in very capable hands anyway – but a perk of writing this blog (inching ever closer to its seven-year anniversary in July) is getting to know some of the artists I admire – and, once a year or so, putting together a night [...]
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Retribution Gospel Choir: The Revolution EP
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I somehow totally missed this: Retribution Gospel Choir, the rockier side project of Low’s Alan Sparhawk, released a new EP as a free download last month. On Tuesday, Sub Pop birthed a physical release of The Revoltuion EP in 7-inch format – the first new music from the band since the 2010 album 2.Cough up [...]
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New Japandroids: The House That Heaven Built
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In September, Japandroids played a show with Bass Drum of Death at Trunk Space in a set that appeared to be riddled with technical issues that left the Vancouver duo a tad frustrated. They powered through but promised free entry to their next Phoenix show for anyone who held on to the ticket stub. I [...]
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The Morning Benders change name, release mixtape of new music as POP ETC
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The Morning Benders’ 2010 album Big Echo was (and still is) incredibly popular in this household – a great example of my wife picking up on an album and not so subtly playing it over and over again until I finally wise up.Turns out, Big Echo will be the last piece of work under The [...]
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Sam Means: I Will (Beatles cover)
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Artist:
It’s kind of embarrassing to admit that, after listening to Sam Means’ cover of “I Will” – recorded straight to his cell phone – my greatest accomplishment on the iPhone for the day was playing another game of Words With Friends. This is the first song of what Means (formerly of the Format) is calling [...]
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Caveman: Old Friend
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My attention span ain’t what it used to be. Music, in all its many ways to be consumed, has become too disposable. My friend Casey wrote a great post about how Spotify, Rdio and the like are slowly pushing MP3 blogs to their deaths, or at least forcing the owners of said blogs to consider [...]
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Locating MOG account...