A week ago, San Francisco treated us to a lovely weekend of music for Outside Lands 2010. This year though, I was blessed by Big Hassle PR’s Chris V. We got to bring the Canon to jump in the photo pits to make the visuals coincide with the verbiage. The entire weekend was great, but there were a few stand-out acts I want to share with you. Join us won’t you?

My buddy Kurt used to talk at length about the live show of Gogol Bordello, and I’m sad that I didn’t take his word for it before. This band of energetic gypsy travelers got me and the entire Land’s End crowd up and dancing early on in the weekend. Lead singer Eugene Hutz has a new place in my musical heart, with his passion for the gypsy culture emanating at every guitar strum. Gogol Bordello is something that is so off the walls, yet so familiar to our very nature. I think that’s why the band can make it so easy to get along with them. Rumor has it they played music for friends and onlookers backstage even after their set was over. True musicians.

Janelle Monae was one of the main reasons I made the 800 mile trek to the foggy city. At only 24, her list of achievements is quite impressive. Already joined by industry heavyweights Big Boi (on her single Tightrope) and being signed by Diddy, she’s just getting the party started. Her dramatic theatre training plays out perfectly on the main stage, becoming something more than just a simple musical. The android made us all dance to the notes of yesteryear, with her band being just as excited as we all were. Above being an amazing singer and dancer, this girl has a flawless look, which you’ll see in the pictures I took. The only bad part of her set was its length, as the band had travel delays that threw us all off a little.

The living legend Al Green was probably the most fun I’ve had as a concert photographer yet. He was so greatful to be in our world, and the feeling was reciprocated accordingly. He hasn’t lost his sex appeal, as the girls were moments away from throwing naughty articles of clothing in return for the roses he threw out. Reciprocation squared. He played all his greats, and even paid tribute to those before him who helped him along the way (Marvin Gaye and the Four Tops to name a couple). His band really brought the noise, and I had the chance to give em dap backstage after their set.

Paramount to the weekend though, was the discovery of Empire of the Sun. As I had already seen Kings of Leon recently, I followed the wise words of beautiful Cascade Wilhelm (a bay area photographer), and hit the Twin Peaks stage with camera ready. I had never heard of the band, but apparently they had done four sold out shows in Los Angeles just before Outside Lands. Their stage show is something to admire, with frontman Luke Steele living up to his superhero name. Dancers in wild costumes, pumping bass, and videos of starships sailing across interstellar seas flew past, with a crowd screaming “DON’T WANT TO TALK! ALL I HEARD IS NOISE!”  made me wish I was a diehard fan prior to the show.

It was the perfect way to round out the weekend, and give us enough energy to carry us back home to Los Angeles. We look forward to being a part of the festivities next year, and we hope you do the same.

I leave you with the gallery of the festival below!

Until next time my friends,

~Flak

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This past weekend, yoga enthusiasts and dance music fans convened in Squaw Valley, in breathtaking North Lake Tahoe, California, to enjoy each other’s company and be at one with nature. It’s called the Wanderlust Festival, a celebration of peace, music, and yoga that is in its second year. My friends and I piled into my car Thursday night and drove 9 or so hours to Tahoe for the weekend, and it was well worth it.

I went to Wanderlust last year as well, as I won free tickets from Consequence of Sound (thanks, dudes) and partied in the mountains alongside artists like Broken Social Scene, Amanda Palmer, Spoon, Common, and Jenny Lewis. This time around, though, the focus shifted from “music and yoga” to “yoga and music”, as there were more yoga-related events and less big-name musical artists at the fest. There were still some notable musical acts, such as Moby, Pretty Lights, Brazilian Girls, Beats Antique, Bassnectar, Yard Dogs Road Show and Rupa & the April Fishes, but the music lineup wasn’t as star-studded as last year’s.

That wasn’t the only change this time around, as the layout of Wanderlust was moved as well. Last year, the main music stage was located up in one of the high camps, requiring an awesome 20-minute gondola ride up into the mountains. That allowed for amazing views and the ability to climb and hike up the ski runs and really experience nature, which was my favorite part about Wanderlust 2009. This year, though, that camp wasn’t used, and the main stage was located in the parking lot, on concrete.

We were pretty bummed about that, but I heard that the staff and people behind the festival received better feedback about the yoga activities than the music, and as a result the focus shifted. That, and the fact that some had to wait a long time for the gondola last year to take them back down to the main level warranted a location change. That makes sense, but it was sad to find out that we couldn’t go hike up the mountain like last year. There were events happening up at the other high camp that had a restaurant, pool, etc but they were charging $24 to ride up, so we didn’t bother. Oh well.

Despite all the changes, this year’s Wanderlust was still great. We were wary that attendance last year was pretty slight for a music festival, so we weren’t sure if there would be a Wanderlust this year. However, there were a lot of people there enjoying the sights this weekend. We also heard that Wanderlust is one of the biggest yoga events in the world, bringing together the top-name yogis (like Shiva Rea, Baron Baptiste, Duncan Wong, Doug Swenson, etc) and many, many attendees that filled the yoga classes and made the event a smash hit.

yeah, it's pretty

One of the best aspects of Wanderlust is the atmosphere. You drive a while along the winding Highway 89 alongside amazing views of Lake Tahoe and its vibrant colors, and then arrive in Squaw Valley. Whereas other festivals have annoying security procedures and long lines, everything is so laid back here that you just park your car (hassle free) and then wander (ha) around wherever you like. For non-yoga enthusiasts like me, the only real place you need to show your ticket/wristband is the main music stage, as you are free to walk around the main area and check out all the cool vendors and the smattering of musical acts that play on the main concourse.

Kelli Scarr

It was there that we saw Steve Gold, Kelli Scarr and Danyavaad & the Shimmy Sisters play. Scarr, in particular, was amazing. Her voice was incredible and her tender acoustic songs were really impressive.

Friday night Pretty Lights and Moby performed their respective DJ sets. I don’t normally care much about dance/DJ music, but their shows were great. Pretty Lights’ version of dance music is very original and captivating, as he and the live drummer mash up all sorts of songs and musical elements into a well-crafted, engaging experience. Their set was one of the best moments of the weekend.

Moby was next and closed the night, and he whipped the crowd into a frenzy up at his DJ table as well. We had to leave a few minutes early, but we could hear Moby’s mad skills all the way back to the car.

Saturday, one of the other best moments of the weekend took place. Moby’s acoustic set (yes, ACOUSTIC Moby) was simply amazing. It went down in the Yoga Tree tent, allowing for a great hilly mountainside view behind him. Kelli Scarr was there to sing and play keyboards, as sometimes Moby just manned the acoustic guitar.

Kelli Scarr & Moby, acoustic style

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this set, but it was really great. I didn’t recognize every song, but here’s a rough set list from the afternoon:

Ring of Fire (Johnny Cash)

Natural Blues

We Are All Made of Stars

When it’s Cold I’d Like to Die (Moby on keyboards, Kelli on vocals)

South Side

Pale Horses (?)

Porcelain (Kelli on Keyboard)

Gone to Sleep

Helpless (Neil Young)

For the last song, Moby asked Kelli to sing her song to her son Liam. Moby sat out in the crowd with Liam and they both watched Kelli sing the song. It was pretty cute, honestly. After that, the set was done, and I was really glad I made it in time to see it all. It was great.

That night the Yard Dogs Road Show and Bassnectar headlined the main stage. The Road Show was this crazy cabaret-burlesque-stage show kind of thing, with circus-y music and numerous costume changes. It was really off the wall, but totally fit the mood of the festival. Bassnectar did his thing to get the crowd going as well. At this point I noticed that the crowd was decidedly more dance-friendly this year, and a lot of people showed up around the time the DJ’s and musical acts hit the main stage. That means a lot of colorful fur outfits and glow sticks, apparently. People mostly behaved themselves. I’m curious to see how the fest goes down next year musically-speaking. I wonder if they’ll only book DJ’s and dance music, as it seemed to be the crowd favorites this year.

Sunday, things were winding down, and by the time we arrived at Squaw tents were being closed down and it hit us that the weekend was almost over. Rupa & the April Fishes, an eclectic band out of San Francisco, kicked off the main stage with a lively set of trilingual folk/ska/acoustic tunes, including a cover of the Clash’s Guns of Brixton. They reminded me of a less-insane Gogol Bordello with a female lead singer. Most of the crowd was up dancing around to their rhythmic music.

dancing!

This set and the set by Yard Dogs Road Show made me think that Gogol Bordello would have been a perfect addition to the music lineup. Maybe next year.

Beats Antique also performed Sunday night, and their Oakland-based brand of electro-dance-rock-ambient fusion noise was thrilling. I hadn’t heard of them before, but they put on a great live show, the kind that I wouldn’t mind seeing again sometime. Brazilian Girls closed out the fest, and they were very enthusiastic and engaging as well. The lead singer had a very Karen O. vibe going on, but without all the cat screeching and irritating sequined outfits. Their blend of world dance music and funky jazz stuff was intriguing.

After they were finished, we left, and I was sad.

Wanderlust is a lot of fun, and the location is a main reason. I absolutely love Lake Tahoe, and the concept of a peaceful music festival nestled in the trees sounds like heaven. The entire weekend was blessed with this laid-back atmosphere that makes it almost seem like a dream. I was a bit sad I missed out on some of the speaking events (such as Moby talking about being a vegan or Entourage star Adrian Grenier speaking about new media) but there’s always next year.

But for everything I missed, there was something to enjoy, like the delicious food and all the cute dogs that wandered around with their owners. Wanderlust is truly a great experience, and if this year’s event was any indication, you might want to go ahead and book your time in Tahoe for late July 2011 early, as it only seems to get better and better every time out.

Namaste.

Here are some of my videos from the weekend for your enjoyment

Last weekend, a few of the BTH crew and I were lucky enough to attend a show of drumming prodigy Thomas Pridgen’s new band, The Memorials. After his recent leave from The Mars Volta, Thomas returned home to get into something a little different with friends and former music school colleagues Viveca Hawkins and Nick Brewer. Joining the principal band members were Brad Ackley on guitar, Uriah Duffy on bass, and Randy Emata on the keys (although they’ve played with one other keyboardist).

I spoke with Uriah and Nick briefly before the show, and judging from their humble and friendly personalities, it was easy to tell we were in for a good show. As far as what kind of sound you can expect from the band? Imagine a sultry R&B singer with a sailors tongue, a shred dreaded guitarist, and Animal brought to life, with a wild team behind them.

I’m happy to say that I haven’t quite heard a sound like The Memorials before, especially with a frontwoman like Viveca. Their intro was bone crushing, with deafening bass being my favorite feeling of the night (couldn’t hear anything for days afterword). But the best part of the night by far was the band breaking out their hot single, West Coast. If you haven’t checked it out, I’ll leave you with the video and some pictures from the show to hold you over until November when the album drops.

There is something about Susan Seidelman that people in the “film community” fail to notice–not just that she’s fucking brilliant, but that she has a rare quality few of her contemporaries possess: The ability to create films that are pointed and eloquent without use of a monumental budget. Then there’s the need people have to classify directors by gender, and since Seidelman is one of the only famous female directors apart from Lina Wertmuller and Sofia Coppola, little attention is paid to her. But regardless of being frequently discounted, Seidelman has been a trailblazer for current DIY style directors, like the Duplass brothers and Wes Anderson (circa Bottle Rocket), and continues to adhere to a nonconformist philosophy when it comes to directing.

Seidelman in her early days

Smithereens, the film debut that would set the tone for later projects in Seidelman’s career, is easily in the top ten best movies of the eighties, yet it has such a small army of devotees. Following the East Village meanderings of Wren (Susan Berman), Smithereens is incredibly indicative of New York City’s era of simultaneous financial destitution and creative wealth. In 1982, the year the film was made, downtown artists like Keith Haring, Futura 2000, and Jean-Michel Basquiat were all starting to make their mark in the art/graffiti world. Richard Hell (one of the stars of Smithereens, another instance of Seidelman’s shrewdness), New York Dolls, and Sonic Youth were also beginning to rise to greater prominence not just in New York, but in other major U.S. cities.

Promotional advert for Smithereens

Seidelman was all too familiar with the East Village scene as she had moved to New York in the late 1970s to go to NYU’s film school. This firsthand knowledge is what gives Smithereens such an authentic air. Commenting on the Village at that time, Seidelman notes,

“This was also during the time of the NYC bankruptcy crisis — when there was no money around to fix up neighborhoods or public spaces. That meant that the East Village had a lot of cheap apartments, cheap bars and clubs, abandoned and boarded-up buildings and a lot of disused outdoor space to put up posters advertising art shows and bands. As a result it attracted a lot of young, creative people — painters, actors, musicians, and filmmakers — who were looking for cheap space to live and work.”

Susan Berman as Smithereens protagonist Wren, looking a bit like Janet Lee in Psycho

The conclusion of Smithereens may have been what hindered its commercial viability as there is a very Felliniesque affectation to Wren walking along the side of the road with nowhere to go and no one to rely on. It’s kind of like Nights of Cabiria in this respect. Such a comparison translates to: American audiences outside of New York City would find difficulty appreciating the ending.

This did not prevent Seidelman from getting financing for her next and most successful film, Desperately Seeking Susan. I won’t get too detailed about this film as I’ve already written many love letters about it. Suffice it to say, Seidelman could not have anticipated how well it was going to do at the box office–with a hand from Madonna. This unexpected ascendancy to directorial prestige could not have prepared Seidelman for the sudden spiral she would take back into obscurity.

On the set for Desperately Seeking Susan

The next choice was instrumental to making or breaking Seidelman’s career. Unfortunately, that choice was a 1987 film starring John Malkovich called Making Mr. Right. So poorly received by critics, the movie grossed under $500,000.00 dollars in the U.S. Seidelman was now officially on thin ice. Her next film, 1989′s Cookie, was a notch above (it at least cleared a million at the box office), but not enough to restore total confidence.

She-Devil, released the same year as Cookie, gave Seidelman’s career a brief rejuvenation, even if it wasn’t rejuvenating to her credibility. Thus, the 1990s saw Seidelman searching for a way to reinvent herself, resulting in her attachment to the then racy pilot for Sex and the City. But in the interim between 1989 and 1998, when Sex and the City first aired, there is little in the way of filmic accomplishment.

Seidelman has tried several times in the past decade to direct films with the same spirit that characterized her early 80s chutzpah (such as Gaudi Afternoon and Boynton Beach Club), however nothing has come even close to matching the perfection of Smithereens and Desperately Seeking Susan, films that are in many ways a prequel and a sequel. But the thing is, that doesn’t matter. Seidelman’s place is secure in her contribution to film, especially with regard to capturing an ephemeral moment in New York history. Plus, she directed a few episodes of Stella–proof that she still knows that people/music/artists on the fringe tend to be more superlative.

Lead singer of Incubus, Brandon Boyd has been busy. Simply put, Brandon is one of the most interesting and talented lyricists in the game. From the sunny hillsides of the community college in my hometown Moorpark, to sold out shows on the shores of Dubai, he has remained an inspiration not for just my musical creativity, but challenge of literature as well. He has come a long way, and has recently released a solo album that he says is “music for the sake of making music”.

I’ve taken the last week to really think about how The Wild Trapeze can be defined. This album is very organic, intelligent, and holds a certain tinge of strange creativity that Brandon Boyd is known for. I’ve come to think that this album is what happens when you ask Brandon Boyd to score an old Wild West film, with a world music, spiritual perspective. I’ve had the honor of meeting and hanging out with Brandon at the TOMS Shoes collaboration party that he did last year, and just by our little converstation, you can tell where his head is creatively.

Upon the first few listen throughs, I noticed that heavy echoing bass kicks were prevalent throughout the album. Also, strumming an acoustic guitar is a must have staple for Brandon. It’s a little strange not hearing Mike shred away on his guitar along to Brandon’s voice, but it really does still work.

The album is chock full of goodness, but I’m not without a breakdown of my favorites. Let’s discuss.

The oddly timed A Night Without Cars has a catchy guitar throughout and the same can be said about its chorus. Whether or not you believe that Brandon took one singing lesson and learned everything he needed to know, this song was a good one.

Second up was a song that can be easily dedicated to my lady friends who don’t quite have the strength to make it through those tough ones in life. Courage and Control keeps the instrumentals simple, and lets Brandon get to work with that kill chorus:

It’s time to let your hair down
and give yourself permission
it takes courage and control
but you start by letting go

My favorite track was a tie between the 7^th track, Runaway Train and the 9^th track Mirror of Venus. On the former, a great use of channel bouncing (when the sound goes from one speaker/headphone to another) on the guitar, coupled with a beautiful piano and flute combination. The echoing voices, and chorus structure was something to be admired.

On the latter, the drums sounded like Jose was in the room coordinating its production. The strings and xylophone were an excellent touch, giving a little more feeling of an epic feel to the track. Also, the distorted, high treble bass guitar is powerful, but still plays its role in keeping the smooth groove. Lyrically a short song, but a powerful one in regards to make a play on imagery, this rounded out my favorites of the album.

When Brandon Boyd said that his best work with Incubus was ahead of them, I didn’t know how I felt, but this album told me that he still has it in him; and this is the solo album! I look forward to their future work, and recommend this album to Incubus fans, and fans of interesting music in general.

Until next time my friends,

~Flak

This year was the first and possibly last Electric Daisy Carnival for us here at Behind the Hype. Why you ask? Not because it wasn’t incredible, but because of the tragedy of the 15 year old young lady that took a walk on the wild side. Reports are saying that they might not do it again next year.

Personal feelings aside, I think we can all agree that this is one of the most visually impressive music festivals in the world. With a combined total attendance of 185,000 over two days, Electric Daisy Carnival 2010 was the highest attended two day festival in US history.

The two nights took us for a wild ride of lights, bass, and scantily clad women, that shan’t soon be forgotten.

I took my trusty Canon 7D along for the ride, to bring you some of the most impressive pictures I’ve ever had the pleasure of taking. Shout out to MSO for making us feel so welcome as always. Also shout out to my homegirl and amazing writer Aubrey Beck for living it out with us (go get her book, you’ll actually LOL).

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Until next time my friends,

~Flak

Ah yes, the Vans Warped Tour. As the date approaches in our town, a familiar mixed bag of emotions comes over us.   For those, say perhaps, in their quarter life comes a series of questions to ponder: What is 3OH!3, and why is it on the lineup – because it sounds like an energy drink. Is it really worth entering the pit, just to risk having a pimply kid impale me in the jugular with his pyramid-studded jacket? Is this the day I feel like getting a full can of Monster thrown at my face? Maybe…but only if I can catch it in time and drink it like a champ. Sweet victory.

If the benefits outweigh the costs whilst answering these philosophical questions, then like me, you’re halfway out the door to get your astronomically priced ticket (remember the good old days when it was 15 bucks?) It’s easy to predetermine all the happenings of Warped Tour – all of the above scenarios end up being true in one way or another. Nothing is a shocker and honestly, you roll with it and it’s just not that bad – which may be the best reason Warped Tour is likely to continue coming around in the future.

Day three of the tour took place at Seaside Park, Ventura – right on the beach providing the perfect backdrop and weather for a full day of rock and roll and sunburns. The several stages of the tour offered enough volume and the perfectly appropriate punk playlists to give surfers an eclectic soundtrack to their California Street session.

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The day started for Flak and I with the Swingin’ Utters – a band certainly not unfamiliar with the Warped Tour stage. Once the then-named Johnny Peebucks & the Swingin’ Utters moved from their base in Santa Cruz to San Francisco, they recorded under several different labels and landed themselves in the lineup of the first annual Warped Tour. Even after nearly 25 years of playing and touring, they didn’t skip a beat and were a highlight of the day. If you appreciate the bands that make you think of the good ol’ days of Warped Tour, do yourself a favor and take a gander at this band. Grab their Limited Edition 7” vinyl EP released by Fat Wreck Chords or check them out this month at Velvet Jones in Santa Barbara on July 11^th.

Along that same vein was Face to Face – the familiar and always entertaining punk band that formed in 1991 and also no stranger to the Warped Tour stage. Their most dedicated fans, and even new admirers alike, all huddled and packed in tight to catch them up-close while belting out maybe their most well known tune, “Disconnected”. Their energy was contagious, and the fact that it was radiating from 40-something year old “silver foxes” just made their set that much better.

Among others sharing the main stage were We The Kings and Andrew W.K. Known to put on an incredible live show, Andrew W.K. was donned in all white, with pale jeans and a white self-titled shirt – it’s always refreshing to know when artists are fans of themselves. With his long dark hair hanging down over his face he ran up and down the stage, roaring out his songs in true fashion. He not only opened but also closed his set with his well known hit “Party Hard.” We The Kings front man Travis Clark entered stage barefoot and grinning ear to ear with a wrap on his right forearm from a brand new tattoo. Written on the palm of his left hand was “LOVE” – his own work of art, no doubt. They played several songs off their newest record, Smile Kid, released at the very end of 2009. Their mostly younger, but very devoted, fan base belted out the songs and clapped along, showing their appreciation by making a ‘W’ with both hands through most of the set.

Closing out the day, we hit the small Ernie Ball stage to catch Eyes Set to Kill, a band started by sisters Alexia and Anissa Rodriguez. Hailing from Phoenix, AZ this hard metal chick-led band started in 2003 and has since changed around its members to form the 5 piece band it is today. Eyes Set to Kill has been featured as one of Alternative Magazine’s “100 Bands You Need to Know” and just released a new record “Broken Frames” in June 2010.

So sure, the Monster can ended up grazing my face and nailing someone else, but you get up and keep up your two step. The developing bruise is either a battle wound you’re proud of, or your consolation prize – depending on whether you feel spending your hard earned lawn mowing allowance was worth it. Put your reservations aside and get in the pit – the pyramid studs aren’t as harmful as they look (and P.S. – if you’re that much of a sissy lala, then you don’t belong at Warped Tour).

San Francisco’s own The Stone Foxes release their second album, Bears & Bulls, this week, and it’s chock full of rip-roaring, bluesy rock songs that have a strong throwback feel to them, betraying the band’s actual age. This is accomplished in part by the band’s team-style vocals, as any or all of the Foxes take over main vocals duties on a song. Guitarist/singer/bassist Aaron Mort, guitarist/singer Spence Koehler, drummer/singer Shannon Koehler, and bassist/guitarist/singer Avi Vinocur have a tight cohesive sound together that they show off on every song. Stomp starts out the record with a 2-minute soulful stomp (I assume that’s the origin of the name), before Patience erupts with a driving guitar riff and jammy second-half, accentuated with some group vocals.

I’ve seen the Stone Foxes play a lot of these songs live for about two years (in the time between 2008’s debut album and this new one), and while the live versions were damn solid enough, the studio versions kick ass.

I Killed Robert Johnson was my favorite of the live songs, and it’s even better here, with crisp guitars and a steady rhythm going along with Avi’s vocals. Lyrically, the song is pretty creative, taking the point of view of the bartender who poisoned blues singer Robert Johnson with strychnine in 1938 (or so the myth goes). It’s one of those “if you haven’t heard this band yet, hear this first” – type songs.

I hadn’t previewed Passenger Train at a live show, so it was a nice surprise when I heard the album. It’s a slower, country-esque number with twangy guitars and Shannon on singing duty.

Young Man is a driving ditty with snarling vocals by Aaron. The song’s upbeat rhythm and thunderous sound make it a standout of the record, especially when the instrumental break kicks in during the second half and slows down, only to pick up again for the outro. Solid.

Easy is another highlight, another slower exercise with Avi and Aaron splitting vocals, set to a Southern-style acoustic melody. It’s a very smooth-sounding song.

Reno kicks things up again to another barn-storming rhythm, with Avi singing about the little Nevada town and its ability to break the hearts of aspiring gamblers who leave dejectedly with pennies in their pockets. After a minute and a half of energy, it slows down to a spaced-out jam session before picking up for the finale. The song finds the Foxes at their instrumental best, and makes it another highlight of the album. It’s a different sort of song for the Stone Foxes, but I really like what they did with it.

Through the Fire, one I’ve heard a handful of times in concert, finds Shannon manning the drums and microphone, which isn’t something to shake a stick at (whatever that means). It’s a tender ballad with a loud group chorus, and it works well.

Spence and his guitar are the stars on Little Red Rooster, a Willie Dixon blues standard that the Foxes have played for a while in concert. I’m glad they included it on Bears & Bulls, as their version is great. Spence’s raspy drawl meshes with the slow-creeping blues rhythm perfectly. The song really lets the band pay homage to their roots, and they do so with flying colors.

Hyde & Pine is another hard-driving upbeat affair, with Aaron snarling through his vocals until the quieter pre-chorus. I’d recommend this song to Stone Foxes newbies, as it’s a pretty solid demonstration of their best qualities, all wrapped into one song.

Mr. Hangman, a noisy ruckus in which Shannon abandons the drums and adopts a harmonica in concert, translated very well onto the record as well. It has a pounding beat and his emotive voice helps the song sound like they reached into the 1960s and brought it back with them, using some fancy time machine device.

That’s really the most impressive aspect of the Stone Foxes – their ability to create this vintage, throwback sound that is especially impressive given their young age. That’s what made me interested in them back in 2008, and they’ve honed their skills even more with Bears & Bulls. This album puts every one of their best qualities on display; their first record was great, but this one is even better.

If you haven’t heard of the Stone Foxes before, get your dirty mitts on Bears & Bulls, and most definitely check them out when they visit your town (they tour a lot, so there’s no excuse for missing out). You won’t regret it.

Check this out if you like: The Allman Brothers Band, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Cream, Neil Young, the Raconteurs

Last year at Outside Lands Music Festival up in the bay, I had the pleasure of meeting a lovely lady named Nataly Lola. As fate would have it, she was more than that chick that was hanging with the Portugal. The Man dudes, and was on her separate path of music badassness.

Time passed, and singer/songwriter/guitarist/contortionist Nataly would come to record an album on Harvest Road Music; where she would stage her complete domination of the contemporary adult music world. Her self-titled album just dropped, and I had a plethora of great points to get you hyped before you cop yours.

The first thing I thought when listening to the album was “damn, she’s like a good Jessica Simpson”, and I dare you not to think the same. She hits notes beautifully, holding them without wavering, while strumming away at her guitar. Also, the band is quite polished as well, with some of the most finely clipped notes I’ve heard in quite a while on an album of this caliber.

Theme wise, it’s a love/hate story, but told in a fresh way (albeit not too fresh for hearing on the radio). I think the second track; Meet Me at Midnight could have EASILY been on the Sex in the City 2 soundtrack, with its sultry Middle Eastern instruments to compliment the upbeat sounds. Ever Since and Cryin’ Shame reigned supreme as my favorite tracks instrumentally, while Daddy’s Shotgun was my overall favorite. As you all know, I’m a sucker for bass, and this one had me hooked.

I see big things in the feature of this bombshell, and if things go the same way they did when I called that Letron was gonna blow up, then we’ll be hearing more from Nataly VERY soon.

But don’t take my word for it; go get yourself a copy over at her website!

Until next time my friends,
~Flak

Over the last two and a half decades, we have gone through an astounding range of sounds, subject matter, and drumsticks. From the humble beginnings of the early 90’s and Do You Want More?!!!??!, to the album Phrenology that got me hooked, The Legendary Roots crew has been nothing short of that.

And now here we are, just days after the release of the groups’ eleventh studio album, How I Got Over. Themed as just that, I have tagged this album as the comeback album of the year, if not the last ten. For me personally, I felt like it came along at the perfect time for the hard times that I and millions of other people of all races, religions, and ages are going through. Yeah I know it sounds farfetched, but let’s give credit where it’s due.

The usual crew is here, with the new additions Tuba Gooding Jr. on the Sousaphone and Owen Biddle on the bass getting a better moment to shine. Another strong contender on the album musically was Kamal Gray. I feel like as time goes on, he becomes a stronger presence in the band. Also as most of you know, The Roots have been the house band for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon since March of last year, and have since proved themselves as the most badass house band in history. How I Got Over is debatably my favorite Roots album thus far, with an impressive (albeit odd) array of guest stars jumping on tracks.

But I’ll end the digression, and talk about How I Got Over and how it helped me do just that. The weight and tone of this album is very political, calling out a certain shitty president, and giving praise to another. Also the ghetto is red hot, and the crew is still stepping on flames all over the track with a few new friends that I never thought would be doing collaboration with the crew.

Those mega-cuties from Dirty Projectors kicked the album off with their acapella harmony in A Peace of Light, as the band one by one jumped into the groove before bleeding into the deep and dark lyric second track, Walk Alone.

God 2.0 was a favorite of mine, with super group Monsters of Folk providing the chorus vocals and instrumentals. Blackthought takes the time on this track to give us a state of the world all while easily rhyming over a dozen lines in his flow. There’s something to be said about an MC being able to do what he did on this track, as he stayed relevant, and just plain asked a plethora of good questions for the big guy above.

Musically, the best track on the album easily goes to the tenth track, Doin’ It Again. The band perfectly samples the sultry sound from the John Legend track Again. Questlove held it down throughout the song, with Blackthought going harder on his rhymes than he’s gone in many an album.

Overall though, my favorite track was the eighth track, The Day. Both Blu and Phonte jump on this track, with the lovely blonde songstress Patty Crash singing the chorus. The game these rappers bring to the table with Blackthought made this an essential groove for the summer; trying to push through working through the beautiful weather of Los Angeles. It’s a song about change, something we all need a little bit of. The lyric that stuck out to me the most came from Phonte saying: “Even a three legged dog still has three good legs to lose”. Too true.

For you new Roots listeners, understand that this is an album unlike anything they have done before, with guests that most rap lovers have never heard of. What I like about that though, is the subtle stab at getting you to check out what say, Joanna Newsom is up to.

For the long time fans, the Legendary Roots crew hasn’t even come close to losing their edge, and will probably find this album more enjoyable than their last few albums. I’m still debating if it’s the best album of theirs, but it’s definitely my favorite since Thing Fall Apart. There’s too much for me to speak on in one feature, but as always, you shouldn’t take my word for it. Go get it.

Until next time my friends,

~Flak