Word Up! New From Eric Clapton, Mari And Other News.

I had tweeted this earlier, but it's worth noting and even adding a little more to it.  Eric Clapton was profiled in the Wall Street Journal for a new single that he kinda released ahead of his 23rd studio album due out later this month.  The crazy thing about this single, Spiral, he improvised the whole damn thing.  Check it out when you can.  It's the WORD!  Obviously, I'll be buying the hell out of this album when it hits the street Friday, May 20th.

Listen to Eric Clapton's 'Spontaneous' new song 'Spiral' (exclusive) https://t.co/q1sDkqVwmq via @WSJ

—  (@WMVCulture) May 3, 2016

In other news, I just wanted to post another apology for the lack of updates.  Simply put, I've been really preoccupied with everything except enjoying my free time.  You should know however, that what little free time I do have, I've been spending it inside of a bunch of record stores.  Since my RJD2 post back on April 9th, I've managed to increase my vinyl collection by about 33%.  I bought a new Pioneer turntable from the awesome folks at In Your Ear Records.  I acquired new speakers from a good buddy and augmented them this past weekend.  Why I have a 7.1 surround sound system in a room that's roughly 150/sq is anybody's guess, but damn.  It's fantastic!   Try listening to Tame Impala's Currents on a 7.1 surround system and tell me that doesn't make you hot.  All of that has contributed to me settling into a newer space and getting more comfortable with my surroundings which are things I haven't been able to do since the holidays.  

Over the next few weeks up through late June:

• I have a lot coming up and going on.  I'll be traveling in, around, through, and back and fourth about CT for a while, so look out, I'm going to Red Scroll Records to do some damage!  I'll also be in and out of Exile On Main Street to soak up something new.  
• My birthday is coming up and there's no better way to celebrate than buying myself that new Clapton record.  
• I have a few concerts in June down in NYC and my long awaited vacation whereupon I'll definitely get some writing going on. 

All that said, this time last year it looked as if I would be blowing through all of the vinyl that I owned posting once a week, now, if I actually were to stop collecting, I could run this blog weekly for another 2 years and you'll never see the same record twice!  


Of course, I missed a lot by not posting, and that's not because I couldn't, it's because I made a conscious decision not to.  I purposefully didn't post for Record Store day because the original post that I made, I did so out of anger.  I actually condemned RSD because of its effects on music, record stores, indie artists, and the lack of quality releases.  I still have a draft of it, and perhaps I'll revisit it, until then I choose to stay positive.  Besides, I did end up supporting a few local record stores, and that's what's really important.

I also didn't post regarding the death of Prince mainly because what I had written devolved into an angry post about vinyl flippers and how they were seizing the moment and profiting off of the genius that was Prince.  Frankly, owning 2 of the greatest albums that he ever made, (IMHO), knowing that I'll never sell them nor be tempted to makes me happy.  I think that there are quite a few people out there that just don't give a fuck about music and too many fucks about money to appreciate music and vinyl.  So to that end, when I clean up that post, if I clean up that post,  and make it 98% about the artist and his music, I'll post it.  

I also had 2 other posts that I had started and subsequently shelved because I wasn't happy with the pictures that I took!  Needless to say now that I have a better sound system in place, with really bad lighting, I'll do a little more work and get those posts in the cannon over the next few weeks.

Finally, I do need to answer one of the comments that I had received over the past few months.  Someone had messaged me glowing over the success of my RJD2 post.  Which again, thank you all for the love.  It was by far the biggest post in this blog's history.  The indictment was that I spend too much time focusing on bands that nobody's heard of hence why those other posts don't get anywhere near the views and reactions that this one did.  Ouch.

In response, that's kinda the point.  I would get on my own nerves if I wrote about music that everybody's heard on the radio or a passing car.  There's a trove of outstanding music out there that many have never heard of.  it just happens to sound great on vinyl, and that's why I'm here.  The whole point of what I'm doing is in celebration vinyl culture.  Which in itself is an indie hobby.  If I didn't love indie music and bands that weren't widely known, I wouldn't be doing this.  So to all the indie groups, and those following me on Twitter, play on !  Let me know about your vinyl drops and I'll keep spinning.  That said, when you get some time, check out Mari who's released a flurry of music and remixes recently.  If you are a fan of Mozez, and by extension Zero 7, and yes, even Sia, you may enjoy Mari immensely. 

Mari - Free

Lastly, this post unofficially begins the countdown to #100.  The 100th post needs to be something special while I have an idea or two in the works, you just need to know that it'll be something kinda cool.  Like the 50th post, it'll also usher in a format change.  I'll be jumping to Wordpress and refreshing things a bit.  That project begins today.

That's all for now.  I'll be back Wednesday, where I'm going to get my immolation on.

RJD2 - Dame Fortune - (2016)

In yet another hard left turn, I was turned onto a release from RJD2 last week that based on the strength of the first single, Peace Of What, I just knew that I had to own it.  For a bunch of reasons, though it may not seem like it, it's rare this became a release day purchase.  If you recall the last time I felt this strongly about a release, it was David Bowie's final album, Blackstar.

Peace Of What (feat. Jordan Brown)

What got me with that first single is his departure from anything that I've heard from him before.  I alluded to it briefly in the single teaser post last week wherein this really sounded as if this album was going to be, at least emotionally, the deepest DJ album that anybody's heard in a while.  That's a distinction that's thrown around a lot on the DJ circuit.  You can gather all the Hudson Mohawke's, Dan The Automator's, Moby's, Wax Taylor, Ratatat's, and Gramatik's of the world,  all of their fans will say that they have at least one song that was so deep and meaningful that it really ties that particular album together.  Well, what if an entire album were full of rhythms and lyrics that just hit on different levels of replayability.  Not because they affect you, but because they're just good.  They're catchy.  They're different.

At some point, perhaps in the teaser post for the single a few weeks ago, I mentioned that many may not be aware of who RJD2 is.  Ramble John Krohn, RJD2, is the genius behind the theme to Mad Men*.  You've also heard his work if you've spent any measurable amount of time in Washington State over the past 10 years or so as his most well-known song, Ghostwriter from his first album, Deadringer, was used in various regionally significant things my favorite surprise being the music played before the introductions to the Seattle Mariners home games.  It's not from the new album, but you really should hear it.

Ghostwriter - Deadringer (2002)

Almost any review or write up of RJD2 will point out the hip-hop aspect of his work, some going so far as to call him a hip-hop artist.  That may very well be true, frankly, I've never asked him and if I ever do get the chance to, you best believe I will, to that end this album goes a long way, in my mind anyway, toward showing just how complex he is as an artist.  Sure, there are blatant hip-hop infused tracks on this album like this....

Up In The Clouds (feat. Blueprint)

...and you're not wrong.  One of my most favorite tracks on this album is just begging to be ripped, sampled and abused by some ass-hat so-called hip-hop artist who's looking for a single with a catchy hook.  (I cannot like, the 5th track on this album, A New Theory, is straight fire.) There's just so much more of a collaborative effort throughout this album this time, more so than his previous albums that it really feels as if his whole existence was working up to this album to show off just how much he's grown as an artist.  I mean, given everything I've posted above, can you honestly say that you expected to hear this?

Your Nostalgic Heart

I guess that's the hallmark of an artist that stays true to their art.  They're willing to experiment and change for the sake of growth and not necessarily for being popular, edgy, or even rich.  These will be the artists that can make an album every 3-6 years and remain ever popular in between as opposed to only hearing from them whenever they come up with a new single or decide that producing is really where they belong.

Having read a wide array of reviews of this album, I'm really glad that I took an unhealthy amount of time listening to this album over and over for weeks before I finished this post.  I think a lot of people really missed the mark on offering their opinions of Dame Fortune. The ones that didn't miss the mark were treated to one of the best menageries of sound that only comes around once in a great while.   After listening to this album so much recently, it made Telefon Tel Aviv's Immolate Yourself that much better.  Regardless, be sure to check out A New Theory and Sheboygan Left as well for some added depth to truly get the most out of listening to this awesome record.  Also thank you all for making my previous (teaser) post the most read post ever! 

Snag this vinyl be it ever so beautiful along with the mp3 download code from you favorite local record store.

My next post will feature either one of the following, Record Store Day, or an album that has been alluding me like a mother-fucker till very recently.  

*Oh, and well there's this by the way...

A Beautiful Mine (Theme From Mad Men)

(UPDATE) Honest/ly RJD2 Peace Of What - (2016)

Update:  After the massive feedback I've gotten, thank you all by the way, I'm going to snag Dame Fortune first thing in the morning and listen to it while I travel up and down the east coast this weekend.  Expect a full WMV vinyl pick post when I get back in town after Easter.  I'll even try to spin Deadringer before I leave Saturday.  Frankly, Dame Fortune is sounding like it may be the "deepest" DJ album in a real long time, I'm talking 90's, to attack music. 

I can confirm that if you're in the New England states, you'll be able to find this album at Newbury Comics, (Call ahead to your local store, it hasn't hit their website yet.), or online through Amazon here.  Not familiar with RJD2?  Shame...  Check these guys out, they're kinda something special.

This is the most psyched I've been over a launch day album since Blackstar.   

~~~

So this is happening on Friday 3/25/16.  The Philly Hip-Hop infused Chillwave DJ is back with his 10th studio album, Dame Fortune.  DJD2 falls into the category of music you've definitely heard but probably don't know where it came from.  From what I've heard of the new album, this one is full of guests, and all kinds of new rhythm.  I really can't wait to go on faith that this is as good as if not better than the last few of his albums that I've bought.  Remind me to feature 2002's Deadringer for you one day.

I'll be traveling to CT on Saturday, hHopefully Exile On Main Street  in Branford has this one in stock.  I gotta shop local whenever possible, though if that's not possible for you, it's available through Amazon, and I'm sure if you ask nicely, the fine folks at Newbury Comics ought to stock this one.