There won't be a ton of depth in today's deal, kids. I'm just tossing up a handful of things that got me out of bed on this miserable and soggy morning.
First up is the number one download on Itunes Japan (for what that's worth), "A Winter Fairy Is Melting A Snowman" by Kaela Kimura. This slice of manic J-Pop seems to be "going viral" (ugh), and the part where the excessively huge guitars kick in makes me grin like a goddamn fiend.
The next two songs are by Wymyns Prysyn from Atlanta. That's pretty much all I know about these dudes, but they remind me of Hammerhead and The New Bomb Turks and Nation of Ulysses. So basically they remind me of the mid 90's, which is pretty much my entire steez in a nutshell. Come to Portland, you guys!
We then find ourselves on a "hilarious" tip. Dude to our left is "Liberace Morris," the lead singer for Black Fag. You heard me. Dudes are doing Black Flag covers with vocals that are supposed to ape our pal Rob Schneider, but end up sounding a little closer to Jello from Dead Kennedys. Which may mean something, but I don't know what. We can sit around and argue about stereotypes and political correctness all day, but the upshot is that the part in "T.V. Party" that goes "Extreme Makeover/Extreme Makeover Home Edition" cracks me the fuck up, and a Mojito sounds damn good right about now.
Ultra-moronic synth damage from Roger Roger is up next! I grabbed this from the peerless Egg City Radio site, which is where you want to go if yr sick of music sounding like humans made it.
I go there at least twice a day, because seriously, humans? Shut the fuck up already.
Speaking of humans and my general distaste for them, this mix finishes with "Kill Them All" by The Brainbombs. Genius and Brutality. Taste and Power. Possibly the most important rock band of the last decade. We'll talk more about them soon.
Submitted for your consideration: Ninja Man. Dancehall reggae DJ. "Article badman". A performer who has had much-publicized (in Jamaica, anyway) battles with such heavyweights as Shabba Ranks, Super Cat, and Crack Cocaine (which perhaps explains a thing or two about the outfit to our left). Born-again Christian. Machete-wound survivor (AFTER converting to Christianity, oddly enough). Movie star. And currently on trial for murder, conspiracy to commit murder, shooting with intent, and illegal possession of a firearm.
Thus, when I found myself in a Seattle record store that ONLY sold death metal and reggae records (a mix that perhaps makes more sense than one would originally assume) and I found Ninja Man's 1990 album (one of EIGHT albums our man released that year!) Out Pon Bail, I snatched it up.
Folks, this record is WEIRD. The first track features a goddamn banjo (not a traditional choice for a dancehall record, if you didn't already know). The banjo also appears in much-reduced capacity on the second track, and then sadly disappears in favor of (marginally) more accessible electronic squelching noises, orchestra hits, and an ASSLOAD of echo. Now, whenever echo effects are deployed in a reggae context, critics like to trot out the word "cavernous", which these sounds are NOT. Out Pon Bail is NOTHING like a cavern. It is not vast or spacious. It is instead FLAT and EMPTY, despite the fact that there are tons of crazy-ass sounds pinging around in its cramped, adimensional space.
This, of course, is awesome. I have included the first six tracks, after which the album sadly turns into limp, predictable lover's reggae. What happened? I'm betting the coke ran out.
P.S. - Pay particular attention to the second minute of "Get Out A Here," in which Ninja Man just gives up on the chorus midway through. Shit like this is why I love dancehall.
