I was introduced to the sounds of Los Angles rock band Dead Sara by Behind the Hype’s own Scratched Diamond. As someone who doesn’t listen to a ton of rock music, I know that when she recommended a rock band, it was for keeps.

For SD, it’s all about paying respect to the craft, without being distracted by all the crazy bells and whistles. Sometimes it’s nice to get back to the basics, and do them well. This is the case for this shining star of a quartet.

Their self-titled album comes out on the 10^th, and with powerful ballads like their single Weatherman are any indication, this album is going to be in your top ten this year. I feel like if a titan 90’s rock band were to remerge, this is what they would wish to sound like. And I mean that in all the best ways.

I admit I wish I could sing along, but vocalist Emily Armstrong hits crazy notes somewhere between a serenade and a scream that sets her apart. Guitarist Siouxie Medley knows her rock flavors, and shreds perfectly throughout the album.

What I like about drummer Sean Friday’s work here, is that you can subtly feel that his talents on the album being pulled back. To me, this indicates that in the live show, you can expect a spectacular drum solo or two. Listen throughout the album for the slight double-bass action that stands very well placed.

The bass stylings of Chris Null are what makes me think this band would have killed in the 90’s and will do the same in the present day LA music scene. Hanging out on the low end, the deep, almost pop-rock notes are what make this band to jam along to.

Shout out www.jedroot.com

The band has been dominating the Los Angeles spots for a good few months at least, and before you know it, the huge venues are going to be posting ‘SOLD OUT’ signs on the door. You just feel from this album, that when you see Dead Sara live, it’s going to be a kick ass time. In a perfect world, I think the sexy singers of Dead Sara and HoneyHoney would make for a hell of a night. When it happens, you can thank me later.

Remember, April 10^th for the release of the album, and don’t forget to check out their Facebook for more information.

Until next time my friends,

~Flak

Last night was my first concert coverage of the year, and what better way to start than the two-night, sold-out dancefest of Big Black Delta and M83 at Club Nokia in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. A night of electronic groovin’, fellow BTH member Ohio accompanied me, as she was a Campus Circle gun for hire last night.

Big Black Delta is quickly gaining on speed with badass songs like IF*CKINGLOVEYOU and Betamax. As a matter of fact, the latter was one of my favorite music videos of last year, and front man Jonathan Bates locked that chorus down tight, with gorgeous brunette drummers Mahsa Zargaran and Amy Wood at his sides.

With a cryptic and dark live show, the crowd still couldn’t help to the sounds of BBD. They released their first album, BBDLP1 was released in late 2011, and is a great addition in the small family of electronic tunes meets percussion done right.

After a short intermission, French electro rock stars M83 took the stage. Albeit there were some glitches in the sound to begin with, the band quickly made up for the lost notes, and had the biggest dance party I’ve ever seen at Club Nokia.

To be honest, I nearly slept on their most recent album Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming (no puns intended), but in the last days of December, found it to be one of the most enjoyable driving albums of the year.

My musical M83 dreams came true after they played a super extended version of my favorite track, Claudia Lewis. They also got down on a saxophone solo during the radio hit, Midnight City. Here’s the set list from last night:

01 “Intro”
02 “Teen Angst”
03 “Kim & Jessie”
04 “Reunion”
05 “Sitting”
06 “Year One, One UFO”
07 “We Own The Sky”
08 “Steve McQueen”
09 “Wait”
10 “This Bright Flash”
11 “Claudia Lewis”
12 “Midnight City” (w/live saxophone solo)
13 “A Guitar and A Heart”
14 “Skin”
15 “Couleurs”

You can catch Big Black Delta in Los Angeles again next month on the 22^nd of February at the Bootleg Theater. Check them out and get a copy of their new EP! M83 hits the road for a while, but will be back in our neck of the woods for (the already fucking sold out) Coachella 2012 Festival. Check out their website for more info!

Until next time my friends,

~Flak

Every album Common puts out, I keep noticing how high his rhyme skills are getting. With his signuature use of old blues and funk samples, and on-the-corner-chillin beats, he is always a welcome addition to my library. This week, he released his 9^th (yeah, he has that many) album, The Dreamer/The Believer. While the Chi hero has the likes of the mighty Nas and the national treasure, Maya Angelou in his feature list, I didn’t feel like the BARF review was necessary. With that being said, let’s get into my favorites, yeah?

I know a lot of people were mad that Common sampled this song, but Blue Sky is a great track. Most people pretend to know who Electric Light Orchestra is (creators of the original song, Mr. Blue Sky), but truth be told, ELO is probably happy to hear their song sampled over a song with generally positive lyrics, and music video. Check it out below:

A classic Chi Town beat, with a beautiful chorus and 70’s movie string arrangements, track five is Gold. I envision Common, rhyming a documentary, riding through his old south side Chicago neighborhood. This song is also a great example of Common’s unique timing and delivery. He’s always managed to stay on the beat while seemingly behind it at the same time.

Overall, the best track on the album is track eleven,  The Believer. John Legend opens it up with his powerful piano and vocal skills. Once the beat kicks in, I found it tough not to love the lyrical timing and content of Common’s latest masterpiece. Here’s a bit of the first verse:

These are the words of a believer, achiever, leader of the globe
Feeding souls of those in need
I bleed the blood of the struggle
Walking over troubled puddles
Hustles in my chest, no hustle no progress
Extremities of life and it’s process
Birth of a son, death of another
With love I can rest both mothers
And told ‘em, who’s in control is the one that’s above us
I walk where money talks and love stutters
Body language of a nation going through changes

This Soulquarian has come a long way, and just when I get worried that his acting career might get in the way of his rhymes, he just gets stronger. We LA kids just had our fun with Common at the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip (I hear he brought out Stevie Wonder!), but the rest of you may be in for some Common Sense very soon, so check out his website for more info!

And Common, let’s talk a Soulquarian reunion my friend.

Until next time my friends,

~Flak

It took lucky number 13 to do it, but the Legendary Roots crew finally released a concept album. The album follows the life and death of the fictional Redford Stephens. Looking at the awesome artwork, I assume that’s him at the end of the booklet.

As Roots albums go, the album moves back to what I originally loved about the band, and that’s being a BAND. Live instruments flow throughout, and Black Thought returns as one of the strongest rappers and lyricists in the game.

Speaking of instruments, the 4 part orchestral section is led by Sufjan Stevens in a collaboration I didn’t anticipate. Then again, I didn’t expect the ones from their previous album, How I Got Over. The gorgeous section encompassed one of my favorite parts of the album over about 5 minutes of high tuned string love.

Black Thought from my Outside Lands reel.

My second favorite moment is the 4^th track, One Time, featuring Dice Raw and Phonte. Those two are many-a-time collaborators on Roots albums (I think Dice has been on at least 6 Roots albums), and their verses here solidify that feeling even more.

Phonte’s verse was the best of the trio. A taste:

We wildin’ out of control until we all make the funny papers like Comic-Con

Feared in all streets so if you ever see me out in yall streets
Find another one to occupy

 

Kamal the Keymaster at Outside Lands

Finally, my favorite moment on Undun was easily the 6^th track, The OtherSide. Opening with the solid beat by Questo, Kamal kicks off the light keys before Black Thought drops the first line, “Yo, we obviously need to tone it down a bit…”. From here, the lyrics are the best timed and written on the album. Porn jumps in on the third verse with a good point:

Be an asshole when the shit hits the fan
Or bet your life on a bluff and a bad hand

Questo and the Roots salute at Outside Lands

The best part however, was the chorus; Bilal comes in with something that sounds like sampled soul music over Kamal’s organ keys:

We’re all on a journey
Down the hall of memories
Don’t worry bout what you ain’t got
Leave with a little bit of dignity
Never loved what I had
Always felt like I deserved more
But when I
Make it to the other side
That’s when we’ll settle up the score

Bilal is a powerful asset to any song, and I feel nostalgia to All Matter from Robert Glasper’s album, Double Booked (which you should run out and get if you slept on it a couple years ago, but I reviewed it).

I got to see The Roots live this year for the first time (which is where I took all these pictures) at Outside Lands, and with Undun in the arsenal, they truly can’t be stopped in the live show game. Don’t miss their tour, whenever it happens, and you can bet your ass I’ll see you at the LA show.

Undun dropped today, and was worth the wait.

Until next time my friends,

~Flak

It makes me happy that those Chi Town rockers from Russian Circles are a brighter glowing star than ever before. Their fourth album, Empros, is another great album to add to the imagery album collection (yes I actually have an imagery album collection) for fans new and old. This album takes us from your standard hair-coptering to floating above the clouds, to clashes oh Vikings on their enemies in slow motion. Don’t believe me, or know what I’m talking about? Well follow along, yeah?

Empros impresses me most, because it sounds like the entire album is one giant song broken up into parts. With only 6 tracks don’t be fooled, this album has plenty of content to be enjoyed.

Photo by Chris Strong

The album opens with 309, which made me think of an opening sequence of waking up from a brutal blow, and rising to enact vengeance on the betrayer. The pace of the song changes frequently, with brutal breakdowns throughout, and moments of a lone droning guitar, lingering like mist in a vast field. It breaks up with dirty bass from Brian Cook, and double-bassing of drummer Dave Turncrantz.

There’s a palpable anguish in the energy of this entire record, and I think this is most evident in the nearly eight minute long piece titled, Mladek.  With a lighter mood than the rest of the album, Mike Sullivan opens up on the guitar for something a little more pleasant than I was expecting, before plunging us back into the spooky depths. Overall, all the flavors that trickle in here and there on the rest of the album, felt more concentrated here than anywhere else. I found this the track that I resonated with the most.

Hopefully we can give you some live coverage of the band next time they come through Los Angeles, on November 28^th at the Troubadour. Tickets are 12 bucks I believe, so grab them before they run out! Empros is available now, so cop yours.

Until next time my friends,

~Flak

Florence and Isa are back at it this year with the long awaited sophomore album of Florence + the Machine. In case you didn’t know, Isabella Summers and Florence Welch started it all, and Isa’s nickname is The Machine, hence the name.

I had a chance to meet and briefly chat with Florence at her first Coachella appearance a few years ago. In the moments we chatted and took a portrait (the one below), you could feel her spirit. Dancing away into the vast crowd in a flowing printed dress, she remains a soulful superpower of today’s music. The new album is called Ceremonials, and I think you’re going to like it.

Thanks again Flo!

The overall sound of the album has been double dipped in a genre I think John Gourley coined as echohaus. There’s an illuminating light-shine energy on just about every track, and the albums opening track Only If For a Night’s harps made me picture falling leaves. Imagery is abundant and not unexpected here, and beyond this track.

Another favorite of mine was What the Water Gave Me. I didn’t know that this was a single from the album until after I had listen through the album a few times, but it was a good decision on their part to put it out there as one of the best songs. There are several powerful choruses on the album, and this is one of them, both audibly and lyrically. It was more a mantra than a chorus really:

Lay me down
Let the only sound
Be the overflow
Pockets full of stones

The album even closes out well, which I find so rare in albums. Usually, there’s a great second-to-last song, then a lackluster ending, but Leave My Body is a woman’s empowering masterpiece about independence, the idea of shedding all unneeded inhibitions. The choir belts out the choruses after strong buildups, among power kick drums and consistent keys.

Even so, my favorite song on the album by far was somewhere in the middle, Seven Devils. When I first heard it on a cold night drive to Santa Maria, I played it a few times in a row it was so good. The imagery is gloomy, yet transcendent. The piano haunts, and the kick drum makes you turn up the bass and grove to the simple, yet explosive instrumentals. For some reason, one of the first thoughts that came to me when hearing this is that Maynard Keenan would sound great on a cover of this song; the chorus especially worthy of the mighty Tool front man. Additionally, the harps in a latter chorus contribute playfully, but remain beautiful and important. It’s the little things, like Florence plainly speaking the chorus lyrics while a choir belts it out, which made this a great song.

Florence + the Machine being their (so far) short tour in late November in Sydney, Australia, and will be California bound the second week of December, so be sure to check it out on their website. Their new album, Ceremonials is out now, so get your echohaus on!

Until next time my friends,

~Flak

Young Folarin aka the CEO of the Board of Administration has a new album out, and it’s excellent. Who am I talking about? Wale of course! And it’s been a while since I’ve done a BARF review, so let’s kick it off yeah?

BEATS 8.5

Legendary  is the kind of beat you pimp-walk down the street too. The track bleeds old school funk, with a heavy, low end bass line, with prominent funky violins echoing around. Produced by DJ Toomp, it was a jamming track.

T-Minus produced the title track, Ambition, and had reminiscent feelings of She Will from Lil Wayne’s Carter 4, but this felt a little more transcendent and heartfelt.

The best beat on the album by far was DC or Nothing, produced by Tone P. There aren’t any crazy bells and whistles to it, but maintains all the things I expect out of a model hip hop beat.

RHYMES 8

Wale has always had a clever way with words. Some say he raps about the same stuff as he has before, but for his sophomore album, I say keep doing what works.

 Sabotage was an interesting song. A see-her-from-afar love song, it wasn’t exactly the lyrics themselves that made it an interesting song, but the fact that Wale must have been sick while recording. The end lyrics of “Keep coming back for more” leads to a hoarse-voiced Wale yells “Gimme some muhfuckin coughdrops nigga!” Strange I know, but I thought it cool.

Wale really went the hardest, lyrics wise, on DC or Nothing. With such a politically charged time happening with the Occupy movements, the lyrics:

“Politicians fucking hookers, why you mad at my ganja?
Kick him out of the city, force them whites who can pay up
Still different neighborhoods killing over what isn’t theirs”

This is the first time I’ve really heard him talk about the corruption of his home city, and I found it comforting that his ear is to the ground with current events. Best of all, Wale even throws in his signature spoken word toward the end of the track.

FEATURETTES 8

Our homie Miguel brings his R&B talent to Lotus Flower Bomb for the chorus, and makes sure the ladies know it’s a love jam. It’s good to hear two up and coming music stars on a track together. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Miguel as some may know, and he’s a great talent to add.

Sabotage was an all-around great track, but Lloyd really shined through on this upbeat live instrumental track. He takes time to sing a little more than just the choruses for another great love song.

Sam Dew’s harmonies were welcome on my favorite track of the album, DC or Nothing. Carrying background notes, and singing the chorus, coupled with Wale’s verses, it made it one of my favorite Wale tracks overall, not just on this album.

Thanks for sticking with me on the always plump BARF review! Wale is worth the effort, and you should run out and get his new album, Ambition, in stores now. Tickets for the November 15^th show at the House of Blues are available at his website, so check it out!

Until next time my friends,

~Flak

From the strong jaw of the bay area, San Jose rapper Roch is out of the gate this year with LP, Lightweight Bi-Polar Mania.

Right away I find appreciation to the use of live instruments that feature prominently on the emotionally charged album. With a poet’s pen, Roch’s hip hop/soul elements mix well with live sounds and old school sampling.

The 4^th track, Hard Times, reminded me of something E-40 would come up with. With lyrics about the everyday man’s hustle, the heavy kick coupled with the various bells and wind instruments makes it an easy song to groove to.

Track 5 is No More Starz, and begins with a grainy filtered guitar and piano. The lyrics kick in sorrow, and soon the drums jump in to create a groovy, yet beautiful little tune about wishing on those vanishing stars. I thought the echoing chorus mixed with the wild turntables made this one of the better songs on the record.

My favorite track was Dracula’s Widow. The 7^th track, it keeps a pretty low bpm, and has one of my favorite keyboard sections this year. The track is the most impressive song on the album instrumentally, and I feel like Roch felt the same, keeping the lyrics very simple, repeating a handful of lines through the song. Complete with a sick drummer, conga riff, a tight western guitar solo, and old school strings in the background, this impressed me the most.

If Roch keeps improving on his current form, I think he will join the ranks of groups like the Cunninglynguists, known for their different approach to rap.

Check out his Facebook for more information, and bear witness!

Until next time my friends,

~Flak

Justice, France’s very own dance-doctor duo is back with their latest record: Audio, Video, Disco. It’s their sophomore album, with the first album still ringing in my head with their hit D.A.N.C.E. (and don’t forget that Simian jawn, We Are Your Friends). This album is every bit as much a PYT as its predecessor, and I’m sure will be spun for years too.

Horsepower is the intro track, and as the same suggests, revs up the rest of the album, with a breakdown of Nintendo beeps and boops and midi guitars. The break-beat kicks in shortly after, with evil strings of violins looming overhead. I’m glad they are keeping their style intact, while mixing in elements that reminded me a little of their French music cousins, Daft Punk.

AVD has a lot more vocals than their first album, and Ohio is a great example of the good it did. With an acapella intro listing several states and a short chant, the mellow dance beat drops. A funky midi bass can be heard throughout, playing along through the chorusing singers. At the 2:40 mark, the beat breaks down even further to something reminiscent of the first album, bringing the singers back around to sing til songs end.

My favorite track however, is track 6, On’n’On. There isn’t much to say about this track, except that it makes me imagine what would happen if Phil Collins and Justice got together. That being said, Phil Collins, please play this song live!

Doesn’t look like Justice will be in Los Angeles any time soon, so get the new album and dance your ass until they come back!

Until next time my friends,

~Flak

Coldplay released their fifth full-length album, the difficultly-titled Mylo Xyloto, this week.

To prepare for writing this review, the album was my soundtrack on a light night stroll around the neighborhood, which suited it well. It’s a sprawling, bombastic concept album about two lovers, Mylo and Xyloto, who live in a miserable, suffocating dystopia sometime in the future. Their troubled tale is told in mostly typical Coldplay-ian fashion, that is: loud piano shimmers, fluttery guitars and stadium-ready soaring anthemic choruses.

Despite the countless bleeps and bloops and electronic touches that pepper the album, the songs do sometimes manage to hearken back to the type of sound that the band used on their breakout debut album Parachutes. Don’t go interpreting this, though, as meaning the album is mostly just piano, guitars and vocals, or else you’ll end up disappointed.

Hurts Like Heaven is the first proper song here, and Chris Martin‘s unmistakable voice is here aided by some Auto-Tunage, for better or worse. Its dance-y rhythm and flittery guitars give it an ethereal quality, and helps it serve as a fitting intro to the rest of the album due to its unlikely (at least by Coldplay standards) upbeat feel.

Paraadise comes next, and you’ll either hate it or love it, considering on your opinion of the band. If you’re a non-fan, you’ll hate it. It’s just as memorable as Clocks, Vida,Yellow, Viva la Vida or Talk. It starts out noisy, slows down for Martin to tell the story of the girl dreaming about paradise, and then picks up with its oh-so-infectious chorus.

Charlie Brown could end up being their next smash hit as well. This one has a bit more of a “traditional Coldplay” feel to it, especially the main guitar riff (shimmery, of course) and melody.

Us Against the World is the song most likely to appeal to fans of Coldplay’s more subdued approach (the kind visited on Parachutes and most of A Rush of Blood to the Head). There aren’t a lot of empty aesthetics on this one, it’s mostly just guitar strumming and Martin’s hushed vocals, making it a nice break from the noisiness of the first few tracks.

We have jackets.

The album’s first single, Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall, wasn’t my favorite when I heard it, but it fits within the context of the album much better than it does as a standalone song. The contrast between the previous, more somber, track and the synthesizer-heavy Every Teardrop creates a powerful transition, another nod to the album’s solid sequencing.

Major Minus is another highlight, again ramping up the tempo a bit and having a bouncy, percussive rhythm base as well as a strong vocal hook by Martin.

When Rihanna shows up, though, the results aren’t as A-list as you’d hope. Princess of China, which is dominated by her nasal delivery and presence, falls a bit flat under its own aesthetic posturing. Laser beeps bounce around the almost hip-hop beat, which of course sounds weird on a Coldplay album. Then again, this is a band whose lead singer stomped around onstage with Jay-Z last year, so it does make sense for a collaboration like this to exist. It’s just not as grabbing as it should have been. It’ll probably be a  big hit, regardless.

After the aptly titled interlude A Hopeful Transmission, Mylo Xyloto concludes with Don’t Let It Break Your Heart and Up With the Birds, two songs that end things on an uplifting note. Don’t Let It‘s relentless, pounding beat drives home more ethereal atmospherics, while Up with the Birds caps things with another visit to the band’s early career (that is, mostly just Martin and a piano), until picking up for a rousing finish.

With Mylo Xyloto, Coldplay made an album that will probably appeal to people who have appreciated their various stylistic endeavors over the years. If you already hated Coldplay and hopped on the wagon of making fun of them, this probably won’t change your mind. It has as many sure-to-be-overplayed songs as any other album they’ve made, and will probably only make them even more popular in the public eye.

But if you generally dig their style, you’ll find something to enjoy. Whether you stopped listening after they started becoming the next U2 or have stuck with them throughout, there’s something for you on this album if you give it a chance.