Funk Monday!

I've recently been introduced to the musical stylings of Chico Mann. Not gonna lie, at first I wasn't impressed. I was bored. But the more I listened to his tracks, the more I envisioned myself blasting guns and robbing banks in a Guy Ritchie crime film.

As a matter of fact, I may take it upon myself to send Mr. Ritchie a personal note recommending he contact Chico when preparing the score for his next film.

I love the way Chico Mann plays up the funk in a modern way, drizzling some Afro-Cuban beats on top.

It seems that the most successful musicians these days have the ability to cunningly take from the past and spin the classics to fit in today's demented culture. Chico does it well.

So check out the tracks below, and let him write your soundtrack this Monday...

Try something new! Dang it!

The most recent Minus the Bear album came out last summer, but the more I listen to it the more obsessed I become with it. Today, I want to write about musical progression and growth. You'd think experimentation would be more accepted these days, but people (especially die-hard fans of specific bands or genres) have become quite closed-minded. It's upsetting.

The track I'm posting today, "Animal Backwards" (which can be found on Minus the Bear's latest album Omni), brings out a lot of mixed emotions and reactions from Minus the Bear fans. If you're familiar with Minus the Bear, you'll notice right away that this song possesses a much different sound. They definitely experimented a bit on this one, and they steered away from their traditional sound. And while many fans think this is some sort of blasphemy, I commend the transition.

Sure, this song is a bit more electro-dance than any of their previous songs. Yea, it can be a bit repetitive. But that's the point. It was meant to be different. How talented really are bands that show no growth at all? You can throw on any album from any year, and they pretty much sound the same? Is that what you want? Not me. 

Minus the Bear has always been a talented, multifaceted band. And yes, why fix what's not broken? But that doesn't mean stop growing, stop progressing, some learning, stop transforming. This track is a perfect example of musical progression. And I like it. 

So the haters of the world that call themselves "fans" can shut up. Step out of that ignorant little hole you live in, and try something new!

The end.


Minus the Bear - Animal Backwards

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Winter cleaning...

So I'm sitting here, with nothing to do. So I decide to continue organizing the music on my hard drive...an ongoing project that will probably never be complete. If you have an immense amount of music, though, I highly recommend attempting to clean it up and organize it. It helps you rediscover music you forgot about, haven't listened to in a while, or just neglected in the recent past.

Anyhow, so I'm sitting here organizing my music folders, and I begin another neglected task...creating a workout playlist! I haven't been to the gym in ages, and I keep blaming my lack of a "workout playlist" for my absence from the gym. Shame on me...

Basically...I need to get my $hit back in order! My music is in disarray, and my muscles are dwindling!

While I worked on these two projects simultaneously, I came across this track. Either I've been out of the house scene way too long, or house DJs just suck ass now. Someone please tell me which it is, because I just don't hear tracks like this anymore! 

Check it out, let it warp your mind. And get back to me.


Chris Kaeser - Atomic Control

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Snap out of it!

Damn you Daylight Savings! I'm all sorts of backwards right now. What is the point anyway? Great, I see the sun earlier in the morning, and my drive home from work is black as hell. Wonderful. What a dumb system. 

There's something about autumn and the changing of the season that makes me think a whole lot. I think about what's missing, rather than my blessings. Although I'm probably the happiest I've been in a long time, it still feels like something isn't right. And I know I'm not alone. I hear negativity all around me, just by listening to my friends talk or reading my friends' Facebook status messages and what not. The cold weather takes away our spirit, and we're left feeling unmotivated and uninspired.

So what does one do to snap out of this dismal mood? Just with almost anything else, I find solitude in music. 

I downloaded the album Contraption by Beats Antique last night before I went to bed...solely because I heard one of the songs on Pandora yesterday afternoon and liked it. Well, I was in my usual gloomy morning mood as I drove to work this morning. Until...I played my new album and instantly that mood was reversed. Instantly, all the negative thoughts went away. Instead, my mind began circling around all the positivity in my life. And I began taking mental notes of all the things I want to do today, tomorrow, over the weekend, during the winter, etc. 

It's so easy to get stuck in that winter depression, but I'm not going to let that happen. I'm far too perky and optimistic for that nonsense. And I was reminded of this as I danced all the way to work in my car. 




Beats Antique - Mission


Beats Antique - She's Looking For Something

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Music is my drug

I've recently been introduced to the calming grooves of Emancipator, and I was quite bummed to have missed his recent show in Chicago on Oct. 30. But the more I thought about it, the more I was actually happy I didn't waste my $44. There is something very depressing about standing there, witnessing a guy and his lap top; it makes me kinda nauseous. I like bands, you know...with instruments. That's what a real show is about. 

Not to take anything away from electronic music. It's still music, and an art. It's just not something I'd spend money to watch live. I think electronic music is best listened to in the car, in the shower, at work, etc. It's excellent background noise for any moment.

I listen to a lot of music, as you already know. But there is something so tranquil and calming about this new style of classical, lo-fi, jazz-like electronica. Actually, I think I just made it sound a lot more complicated than it really is. It's probably the one genre I can listen to at any time of any day and feel better than I had moments before. 

It's not ridiculously complicated or technical. It's simple, yet thought provoking. Peaceful, yet dramatic. It puts me in a dream. It's my drug. Who needs opiates, when you've got music?!
I hope it has a similar effect on you. Here are my two favorite Emanipator tracks, followed by two somewhat comparable tracks by similar artists.



Emancipator - Lionheart


Emancipator - Anthem


RJD2 - Smoke & Mirrors


Xploding Plastix - More Powah to You

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