First Quarter Recap

Highlighted by wild Wednesday nights, warm California weather, and a massive pyramid of red bull cans in my dorm, the first quarter of college life has included some exciting new experiences. More importantly however, some amazing new music has come out recently that you probably missed out on because I haven't posted in a while.

Lets be honest though, you still probably heard about Macklemore's rise to national stardom with his breakout album The Heist. While the record's hit song "Thrift Shop" has been ruined for me by the countless amount of times it gets played at each Santa Clara party, the album is absolutely golden.

Macklemore has long been a celebrity amongst Seattle teenagers. He was selling out the Showbox in 2010 and played to a packed Key Arena while opening for Wiz Khalifa a couple summers ago. But The Heist's rise to the top spot on the Itunes charts has validated Seattle's hometown hero. The album features a diverse collection of songs. From it's dramatic opening track, 10,000 hours, to the comedic "Castle" (episode two of "And we Danced), and to a brutally honest acknowledgment of the rapper's drug relapse on "Starting Over", The Heist keeps the listener interested from start to finish. Featuring LA rapper Schoolboy Q, my personal favorite-"White Walls" highlights the assortment of big name artists that Macklemore collaborates with on the album. Other features include Buffalo Madonna, Allen Stone, Eighty4 Fly, Ben Bridwell of Band of Horses, and Ab-Soul. Macklemore's massive fan base has become even more obvious in college. After The Heist was pre-released via NPR's first listen program, "Ten Thousand Hours" could be heard blasting across the campus quad. Seeing Mack live in Santa Cruz was an experience of gripping proportions  Surprisingly, "The Town", Macklemore's ode to Seattle made it's way into the concert's set list. Sporting my "My City's Filthy" tee, my hand stayed in the air for the duration of the song.

Working his way up from being known for #8doobies2theface, Kendrick Lamar released his instant classic "Good Kid M.A.A.D. City". Rivaling the depth of Frank Ocean's Channel Orange, the album is a stroke of lyrical genius. Songs such as "Black Boy Fly" and "Money Trees" define Kendrick's motivations. Emerging from the gang laden streets of Compton, both songs discuss the rapper's rise to fame behind numerous challenges and disadvantages. Any listener can relate to the melody of the album's best track "Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe" on which the rapper's abstract style is apparent: "Bitch don't kill my vibe, and you aint heard a chorus like this in a long time" Kendrick aptly raps. YMCMB superstar Drake is featured on the album, in addition to Mary J Blidge, Dr. Dre and Jay Rock. It should be added that with a beer in hand, no song in the world is better than "Swimming Pools".

Lupe Fiasco came back with his best album since Food and Liqour with Food and Liqour 2: The Great American Rap Album. The album eptimozes the rappers determined lyrical style. With hits such as "Battle Scars", "Audubon Ballroom", and "ITAL", Lupe Fiasco seems to have resurrected his passion. Additionally he has likely instilled a new sense of belief within his fans.

Sam Lachow continues to exceed my expectations. 5 Good Reasons, released in September, is by far his best work to date. The EP's success is due, in large part to Lachow's addition of Seattle rapper Raz. Raz teams up with Lachow on each of the EP's five songs to add a more serious perspective to the generally lighthearted style of Lachow's music. While the former Shankbone front-man touches on his usual themes of weed, liqour, women, and partying, Raz adds an entirely different aspect to each song. On "The introduction", Raz spills his heart out over an emotional instrumental background featuring a whaling horn section. With each line, Raz omits his frustrations  struggles, and hopes, aptly summing up his two minute verse stating "My life is more epic than my rapping is". Though Lachow's verse features less serious topics, he is just as genuine and honest, which in a way is even more moving. Towards the end of the song, when the  genius of the combination of Raz and Lachow is discovered, Lachow states what we are all thinking, rapping "They said after high school that all our fans would leave, yesterday we sold out Chop Suey". Other songs include the nostalgic, and undeniably catchy-"Nothings Gonna Change" to which any college student away from home can relate to. "Money", the best track on the EP features Raz on each verse, with only a hint of Lachow on the hook. "Money" is another page out of Raz's diary, and emphasizes the rapper's passion and determination. As always, 5 Good Reasons is accompanied by a collection of well produced videos from the Seattle MC's. 

Canada's Frank Ocean, A.K.A. The Weeknd, released his long anticipated Trilogy, a compilation of his previous mix-tapes. The singer's talent is awe inspiring. By putting all of the The Weeknd's songs together, The Trilogy creates a musical backdrop that simply proves that this Toronto singer can do no wrong. Not one song misses a beat. The Trilogy is highlighted by the previously released hits "Wicked Games", "The Morning", and "High For This". 

Unfortunately there were some disappointing releases this fall. The  cover of Wiz Khalifa's new album O.N.I.F.C, sums up the overly arrogant and uninspiring nature of the record. Don't get me wrong, I love Wiz. Each song on the album however, is exactly the same. The topics of the songs are all centered on weed, partying, money, and why the rapper is awesome. Not to say that that is different from what Rolling Papers was centered on...but at least those songs were fun to listen to. Not one song is worth replaying. The bright spot of the album is its features, which include The Weeknd, Akon, 2 Chains, and Juicy J. In the end they all out do Wiz. The album leaves the listener yearning for the rapper we once knew. I don't even know what O.N.I.F.C. stands for, but it's probably something dumb. 

Nacho Picasso released a video for my favorite Moor gang track-"Kickin Out Windows". He also released a brand new EP entitled Black Narcissus. Appropriately released on black Friday, the EP is Nacho's best work yet. Over the ominous beats of the electronic duo Raised By Wolves, Nacho displays a faster and more aggressive flow than  we are used to. He also sounds 100% keyed on each track, but that's OK. The EP's best track is "Cover Me in Gold".

"Cover me in gold until I feel I'm important"-

Fellow Moor Gang members Thaddues David and Gift Uh Gab also came out with impressive releases. Thaddues David's Trapital Hill features a collaboration with Lil B's producer Keyboard Kid.

Gift Uh Gab's Queen La'cheefa is possibly the best album title I have ever heard, and features this smooth track with Coolio Da'Unda'Dogg

Soundgarden's reunion, and their recent release of King Animal has renewed my belief that grunge will never die. Chris Cornell's vocals are just as impressive as ever. The album reassures long time fans of the band that there style hasn't changed. Featuring screeching guitar solos and an attitude of utmost angst, "Crooked Steps", and "Eyelids Mouth" hearken back to Soundgarden's early albums on Seattle's Sub Pop label. Chris Cornell's falsetto scream is featured the album's best track-"Black Saturday".

The biggest surprise of the past three month's collection of new music was Meek Mill's new full length album Dreams and Nightmares. The Philadelphia rapper displays an amplified sense of lyrical depth and intonation,  giving listeners a more dynamic perspective of Meek Mill. Dreams and Nightmares features the chilling track "Traumatized", and the ridiculously catchy songs of "Rich and Famous" and "Lay up". As usual Meek Mill bring in Maybach label co-stars Rick Ross and Wale to help him out. 

Word is Pearl Jam might be headlining the 2013 lineup of the Coachella Music Festival, so a trip down to Indio California might be in my future.
Until next time that's all I got.

Bumbershoot Review: A Farewell to Summer 2012

Marking the end of summer in Seattle, the annual Bumbershoot festival at Seattle center has been a staple of my teenage years. Headlined by dubstep sensation Skrillex, I greeted this year's Bumbershoot with immense anticipation, hoping that it would serve as a closing memory to a summer that has been filled with some incredible concerts and new music discoveries. With many of my friends already off to college, I dealt with this past week's boredom by meticulously planning out what acts to see on the third day of the festival, as to insure I wouldn't miss a thing.
To some extent, my planning was effective. However, long lines, and limited stage capacities limited the number of acts one could see.
The day started off well. I secured front row spots at the mural amphitheatre, 20 minutes before the set of Seattle's hottest new artist Reignwolf. In the process of convincing my friends to endure the 20 minute wait, I undoubtedly set some pretty high expectations. "Trust me guys, this is going to be one of the greatest things you will ever see!".

Luckily Reignwolf proved me right. Opening with a newer song that I hadn't heard yet, Reignwolf was accompanied by a street performer playing the drums on several plastic buckets. Apparently the two had met outside on the street just a couple hours before the show. Reignwolf proceeded to put on an amazing, and utterly bad-ass performance. Playing to a sizable audience of at least 500 people, on a stage with two large video screens, it was very cool to see how much bigger Reignwolf has gotten since the first time I saw him just three and half months ago. Smoke billowed out of the band's amplifiers through smoke machines that were set up behind them, adding a mystical aura to the performance. As Reignwolf went into some of his more well known songs such as "In the Dark", and "Lonely Sunday", many of the audience members including myself joined in on vocals. Once again, it was very cool to see how much bigger he has gotten since I first saw him. One of the concert's highlights was Reignwolf's performance of "The Chain", a popular Fleetwood Mac song, which he performed while playing an electric mandolin. In addition, during the set Reignwolf: Played the bass, played the guitar using the microphone as a pick, played the guitar using his teeth as a pick, played the guitar while also beating a kick drum, played the guitar while playing the full drum set, solo'd while standing on the band's amps, monitors, in the audience, and on the street performer's buckets, and also gave an incredible vocal performance. What is incredible to me is that Reignwolf does not have a single studio recording out, yet he has managed to accumulate a robust fan base. I can't wait to see what this up and coming artist will go on to do in the future.

After Reignwolf concluded his set, we headed to Key Arena in the hope we could catch the tail end of Best Coast and get down to the floor for M83. However, upon entering the arena we were met with our first, but not last experience of the negative side of this year's festival. Security guards quickly, and not so politely informed us that the arena floor was closed, and that no one else would be let in. We retreated to the rafters of Key arena to watch some of Best Coast's set, but soon agreed that it wasn't worth it to sit in the seated section for M83. We left soon thereafter.

Without access to the main stage floor and few intriguing performances to see, the next hour was somewhat of a low point for the day. However, you can't beat Seattle Center on a nice day, and I took the time to re-live my elementary years and make a couple runs at touching the fountain.

At 4, we got in line at the Exhibition hall to see the Wombat's 4:30 performance. I had only heard a couple songs from the alternative British rock trio, but thought that it seemed to be the best bet for the time slot. And indeed it was. Despite the fact that it was a shame to be inside an exhibition hall on a sunny afternoon, the venue was perfectly suited for the Wombats. Their synth laced alternative pop style was perfect for the largely high school oriented crowd. The audience clapped along in unison to each verse and and went crazy for each chorus. Crowd surfers were common, glow sticks were thrown through the air and a great time was had by everyone. "I honestly expect nothing but utter mayhem on this next song" declared the band's lead singer. The exhibition hall's no moshing, no crowd surfing rule was definitely broken. My personal highlight of the Wombat's set was their song "My First Wedding", on which the crowd emphatically sang a long to the chorus line "She's not that beautiful, she's not that beautiful!
The Wombats made me realize that concert's are all about expectations. I really didn't expect the show to be anything special, but the Wombats ended up putting on one of the best concerts I've seen in a while.


Drenched in sweat, I exited the exhibition hall with a thoroughly satisfied feeling. So far we were two for two in terms of the good concert choices.

By far Bumbershoot's most famous performer, Skrillex was set to go on at 9:30. Our utmost goal for the day was to be on the Key Arena floor for Skrillex. So at 5:45, we got in line to enter the arena. Had we gotten in line 20 minutes later we would not have made it on the floor. No one wants to see a Skrillex concert while standing in a seated section of Key Arena. I will take this time to address the issue of having Key Arena as the Bumbershoot main stage.
I could say a lot about the debate over whether Bumbershoot should or should not be held in Key Arena. The bottom line is this: Key Arena is a better music venue than memorial stadium. Especially for acts such as Skrillex, Wiz Khalifa, and M83, Key Arena allows for better light displays, better sound quality, and a tighter concert atmosphere. HOWEVER, the floor capacity, and really the overall arena capacity is a huge issue. It was reported that there were close to 40,000 people at the festival on Monday. Key Arena fits less than 12,000 people for a concert. I'm guessing almost everyone wanted to see Skrillex. In addition, no one wants to sit in the upper deck to watch a dubstep concert. Basically, there were probably a lot of really disappointed people yesterday who didn't even get to see Skrillex, let alone be on the arena floor to see him. And even though I got to be on the floor, almost six hours of my time at Bumbershoot went towards getting that spot.
Oh, and did I mention that if you wanted to use the bathroom you couldn't get back in to the concert?
With all the complaints that the festival likely had this year, I am guessing that the mainstage will be moved to memorial stadium next year.

                                         
Anyways, after waiting in line for almost 3 HOURS! we were shuffled in to Key Arena, barely making it down to the floor level. Instrumental duo Two Fresh opened for Skrillex beginning at 8:30. Mixing many popular hip hop songs, the group's beats were entertaining and highly dancable. Two Fresh really would have been a perfect act for one of the festival's smaller stages. Unfortunately, the anxious crowd didn't really give the group the attention they deserved. 

After Two Fresh finished, a five minute countdown was displayed on all three of the stage's video boards. Needless to say, after waiting in line for such a long time, the crowd was excited. Scanning the crowd, I was overwhelmed to see that every seat in Key Arena was taken, all the way up to the last row of the upper deck. I got an odd feeling, thinking "Wow, this whole dubstep thing has gotten way too big". As the timer got down to 30 seconds the crowd's screaming intensified. At 10 seconds, we all counted down together "10!, 9!, 8!...As the timer hit 0 handfulls of glow sticks were thrown into the air, Skrillex pushed some buttons, or did whatever he does up there, and played his first song "Right In". Mixing the opening song with MGK's "Wild Boy", Skrillex went on to play such hits as "Bangarang", "First of the Year", "Kyoto", and my personal favorite,  the "Levels" remix. While I am by no means a big dubstep fan, there is certainly something to be said for seeing an artist at the peak of their career, and it was thrilling to be so close for the action. The music itself may have not been some of the best stuff I have witnessed live, but the magnitude of his performance was incredible. Flames and fireworks were shot off from behind stage, streamers were shot out onto the crowd, and I witnessed what may be the most impressive light show I will ever see. "GO SEAHAWKS!" screamed Skrillex. I high fived the people around me, even though he probably said that about the 49ers last time he was in San Francisco.

In the end, the wait to see DJ Skrillex was worth it. During his levels remix I sang along as loud as I could with the song's sample...you know? the one that goes "wooahh sometimes, I get a good feeling yeah". I sang that hook as loud as I could as I thought back to the first concert I saw this summer. That first concert of the summer, of course was at Sasquatch, when I saw DJ Pretty Lights use the same sample. I sang along then too. Thanks for a great summer Seattle. I'll see you next year.

Concert Review: Jack White!

Given that I had already seen the blues rock legend at Sasquatch, I didn't really consider going to Jack White's concert at the WAMU theater last night. However, luck proved to be on my side, as I scored some free tickets at the last minute.

It was my first time seeing a show at the WAMU theater, and I was impressed with the large floor space in front of the seated area. This contributed to a very intimate concert atmosphere despite the venues large capacity. 

Upon entering the theater it was clear that I did not fit the image of the average Jack White fan. Most of the concert's attendees appeared to be well in to their 30's, and I seemed to be the youngest person in the building. Needless to say I felt a bit out of place, but once the light's went down and deafening feedback came blasting out of the venues PA system I knew I was in the right spot. Mixing things up from his Sasquatch performance, Jack White was joined by an all female backing band. The group's look was perfect. Most of the band members looked like female versions of Jack White, with long matted hair and ghostly pale skin. However, they're biggest similarity to the concert's main attraction was their remarkable musical talent. With all members sporting white clothing, the backing band came on stage first and ran straight in to the concert's opening song, "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground". Wearing a black shirt, vest, and fedora, Jack White soon joined the ladies on stage. 

The set list was balanced between White Stripes songs and tracks off White's most recent solo album Blunderbuss, with a couple songs from the Dead Weather and The Racontuers thrown in there as well. The show started off with mostly low key songs from Blunderbuss. The most notable of the concert's opeing songs, White carried out a moving performance of "Love Interruption"  while sharing the mic with his female backup singer. A white curtain hung behind the stage that majestically projected Jack White's shadow. That curtain soon came down though, exposing three blue lights resembling the Blunderbuss logo. The concert picked up from there as the band delved into a more upbeat section of Jack White's repetiore. Highlights of the performance included the White Stripes' "Ball in a Biscuit", "Blue Blood Blues" from the Dead Weather, and Steady as She Goes" from the Racontuers. With such a deep songbook after being involved in four seperate projects, White was able to keep the audience guessing as to which song he would play next throughout the entire show. This contributed to a thoroughly engaging and entertaining performance.  Despite the old age of many of the crowd members, the concert proved to have a lively atmosphere. With each screeching guitar solo, powerful breakdown, and opening chords of another hit song, the crowd got more into it, and was emphatically jumping up and down from front to back by the time Jack White reached the chorus of "Seven Nation Army". 

Although it had barely been over two months since the last time I saw this rock hero, Jack White's immense musical capability, style and showmanship made it a truly memorable experience. Before his last song, Jack White touchingly complimented the audience. "Those are about all the songs I have left, now I don't want to waste your time, because I know you haven't wasted mine".

To make the concert even more memorable, I ran in to Seattle soul singer Allen Stone, and my favorite new artist, and possibly the next Jack White, Reignwolf! as I was leaving the show. I made sure to let each of them know that I was a huge fan.

Video Feature: Jarv Dee-"Hot Box"

I have spent a lot of time keeping tabs on the endeavors of Seattle rapper Nacho Picasso. However today, the spotlight shifts to Nacho's hype man, and fellow Moor Gang member Jarv Dee. The second video to come off Jarv's 13 track album Dopamine, which was released in April, the "Hot Box" video is proof of why Jarv Dee's talents should be generating an amplified amount of interest from the city's music listeners. 

The track features the instrumental group Raised By Wolves, who produced the ominous and undoubtedly drug influenced beat. The song is a non stop vocal onslaught from Jarv Dee, who is continuously heard throughout the track. The Seattle up and comer goes hard on each verse, pulling out one punchline after another. The song's chorus lives up to the lyrical standard that each verse sets, "This is the hot box, no windows cracked, we keep them fumes in, like a gas cap, no seat belts, but we all strapped". The track fades out with a haunting outro, as Jarv's voice gets bassed out to the line "adjust the sub in my trunk, so my bass it, so my bass it". 

The video to "Hot Box" is a perfect reflection of the track. Just like Jarv Dee's rapping, the video is a non stop visual assault (in a good way). Camera shots constantly change as the viewer catches distorted close up visuals of Jarv rapping alongside his buddy Nacho Picasso and rolling around in his porsche. 

Definitely check out the video, and get the free download for Dopamine. 

Concert Review: Capitol Hill Block Party 2012

Despite living within walking distance of the annual music festival, this year marked my first visit to Seattle's Capitol Hill Block Party. While the lineup appeared to be weak upon first glance, Friday and Saturday night were by far my best two nights of the summer, and possibly this whole year.

My initial plan was to just go Friday, the first day of the festival. Carefully planning out which concerts to see, I did some extensive research on the scheduled artists to ensure that I was getting my moneys worth. Subconsciously there was certainly a part of me that wanted to make up for the grotesque ticket prices I had to give in to 2 months ago at Sasquatch. 30 dollars per day definitely ended up being a fantastic deal.

After hopping off the 49 metro bus and meeting up with a couple friends, I started off my block party experience with the Seattle hip hop group Kung Foo Grip on the Vera stage. An old school style, energetic stage presence, and intelligent lyrics highlight these up and coming young MC's. Their set was a perfect introduction to the many concerts that would follow.

 

Next we caught the second half of the Minneapolis hip hop group Doomtree's set on the main stage. Doomtree has an odd look. The group consists of five mc's and two Dj's/producers. The DJ's looked normal enough. Both appeared to be in their mid 20's and they made their beats live which was cool. But then there were the MC's. There was a white woman, a short Hispanic man, a black dude, and two white guys. They all looked like they were in their mid 30's, and they all looked like they were more fit to be high school history teachers than rappers. However, they had an interesting take on independent hip-hop. Their sound was similar to Atmosphere, and many less known Seattle groups. Their live show was tight and well rehearsed. Their song "Bangarang" epitomized their style with the lyrics, "Doomtree Bangarang all these other rappers sound the same, beats sound the same, raps sound the same". That's right Doomtree, you guys do not sound the same. 

After Doometree we went back to the Vera stage to check out Seattle rapper Spac3man. His set was energetic and fun. However, his block party crowd was not nearly as into it/as drunk as his Sasquatch crowd. Halfway through set Spac3man stopped mid song asked "Are you guys rocking with me or what?". The crowd stepped it up after that. I mostly just kept a hand in the air out of fear that Spac3man would call me out if I didn't.  No offense to Spac3man though, I really enjoyed the set. 

After Spac3man ended his show by performing his last song in the middle of the crowd, we jetted back over to the main stage for Youth Lagoon. Youth Lagoon features keyboardist and singer Trevor Powers along with a guitar accompanist. I'm not sure how to classify Youth Lagoon's music. Maybe I'm completely wrong but I felt like it was a way more depressing, distorted and indie version of Owl City. My two friends hated it, and left after a couple songs. However, I insisted on staying and made my way up to the front. The dream-popesque style of Youth Lagoon put me in a trance, and the steadily building beats and falsetto vocals proved to be moving characteristics of the Boise Idaho band. Youth Lagoon saved their best song for last with the track "17". The was so touching and simple that it nearly moved to tears

From the end of Youth Lagoon to the beginning of the headlining acts, the festival was fairly quiet, with most people making trips to the beer garden and the clubs within the festival grounds. However, we did catch a couple songs at the Fly Moon Royalty concert at the Vera stage. Perhaps my best discovery of the day, the electro hip-hop group played their newest song "Betty's Kitchen". Fly Moon Royalty finished with a cover of Sir Mix-Alot's "Baby got Back". 

As the sun set on south Capitol Hill, we headed back over to the main-stage to get good spots for the 9:15 Allen Stone concert. Based out of Seattle, Allen Stone has made a name for himself as possibly the most prominent soul musician in the northwest. Good vibes filled the air as Stone rocked a packed main stage crowd. With the help of his full backing band, the Seattle soulster gave a killer performance. Playing one feel good song after another, the Allen Stone concert truly hit the spot. The best moment of the show? Stone demanded that the audience split in to two sides and have a dance off. "There's some weird stuff that goes on on Capitol Hill" yelled Stone, "But when this song kicks in I need to see some of the weirdest dance moves Capitol  Hill has ever seen!". Needless to say, as the song kicked in the crowd went crazy. 

Towards the end of the show Macklemore and singer Ray Dalton were spotted backstage, and rumors of a surprise concert circulated through the festival. Unfortunately that didn't happen.

To finish off the night, we once again headed back across the festival to check out the Nacho Picasso concert. Nacho and hype man Jarv Dee played to loyal and faded crowd. Plumes of weed smoke were ubiquitous, as the crowd emphatically sang along with every one of Nacho's punchline raps, proof of the rapper's rise to fame in Seattle. "What yall know about Numbnuts?" yelled Jarv Dee, as the instrumental duo Blue Sky Black Death played the intro to Nacho's hit song. Nacho, Jarv Dee and the entire crowd passionately sang along with the song's hook. "Numbnuts, the drugs don't numb much". Unfortunately Nacho did not perform my cut "Tom Hanks". However, the majority of his set consisted of new material of his latest album Exalted. My favorite song of the concert that I had not heard yet was "Kickin Out Windows". 

Day one of the block party proved to be an awesome experience, filled with good music, good friends, and new discoveries. The best part? I realized that this was MY neighborhood block party, as the drive home took no more than two minutes. 

In many regards, my experience on Saturday night was opposite to Friday's. I showed up late, with little knowledge of the night's performers. After Gubernatorial hopeful Jay Inslee took the stage and suggested that we all listen to the new song "Same Love" by, as he said it, "The Macklemore", I watched the first couple song's of the Twin Shadow performance. The music was alright, but the Twin Shadow front man's (whose name I don't feel is worth looking up) style of singing was slightly off putting. After the singer/guitarist  mocked Seattle... "You guys had a good run a couple decades ago", I angrily booed and walked out of the main stage confines. 

Needless to say I wasn't really feeling the block party at that moment, and soon began to worry that the 35 dollars I had shelled out for the day's ticket had been a waste. I retreated to the turf of Bobby Morris field across the street with a couple people and took a break from the overwhelming crowd of hipsters. We were all feeling burnt out, but after a nice break we headed back to the main stage, ready to rage to the sets of Aesop Rock and Major Lazer. 

A rowdy crowd rocked with Aesop Rock's classic alternative hip hop cuts. The group's act was polished and professional, and audience members quickly felt encouraged to throw a hand up in the air. The highlight of Aesop Rock's set was when the MC's cut a fan's hair on stage during one of their final songs. As expected, the fan hopped off the stage looking pretty wild. 

Next was Major Lazer! I had never really listened to the group's music before, I wouldn't classify myself as a  techno/dubstep/dance music fan, and I also lost my whole group of friends...But it did not matter at all. Major Lazer along with DJ Diplo put on possibly the craziest show I have ever been to. The group's hype made many requests in the hope that they would get the crowd to go wild, which included asking audience members to take off their shirts and asking the dudes on the surrounding apartment balconies to throw water on the crowd. These gimicks worked. The crowd really did go crazy. Lazers and strobe lights flashed over East Pike Street as Diplo crowd surfed in a hamster ball, backup dancers engaged front row fans, and Major Lazer shot confetti cannons into the night sky. All I could think was "Wow, I come to this same street to get groceries, and right now there is a massive rave happening". "This is my block party!" I yelled, as surrounding concert goers gave me high fives.

The 2012 Block party was an experience that will certainly go unmatched, and I don't know if I have ever been more proud to live on Capitol Hill

Blowing Up

It is crazy that just two years ago this guy was playing at such small venues, to such small crowds around the Seattle area. His music, largely unknown outside of Seattle, epitomized the young, and up and coming local hip hop scene. While performing to a sold out Key Arena for last year's Bumbershoot festival was perhaps his first flash of "making it big", this video, posted on his facebook page, is the most recent and most convincing proof that our hometown hero is blowing up. We all look forward to this 2012 XXL freshman's newest album, set to come out early this fall.

Video Feature: "The Gods Don't Favor You"

Nacho Picasso's newest video, and first video of his latest album Exalted. With a recent article in XXL, and an album review by Spin magazine, Nacho's hype is clearly at an all time high, and it will no doubt continue to increase. The Seattle rapper's upcoming set at the Capitol Hill Block Party will likely serve as his coming out party.  As a recent ticket purchaser, I can't wait.

Finally Here: Summer 2012

The Physics- Coronas on Madrona -Live at KEXP from Sophia Gutierrez Perez on Vimeo.

Throwback Thursday: "Something New (Remix)"

On this lovely Thursday evening, as I sometimes do I found myself reliving concerts of years past via Youtube. Something that I have discovered is that almost nothing can evoke such a strong feeling of nostalgia as some of these concert videos do.
One of my greatest concert going memories has to be Bumbershoot 2010. Attending the middle day of that year's festival, I saw Fresh Espresso, The Physics, Rise Against, and most impressively, a pre-party rock anthem LMFAO perform. It was an awesome day, maybe my best of 2010.
Anyways, tonight I decided to bring back some memories from that sunny early September day. After watching a couple uploaded videos recorded at the Fresh Espresso concert, I was led to this track and music video that I was happy to re-discover. Featuring Grynch, a still generally undiscovered Macklemore, and the beat from Fresh Espresso's "Something New", this remix gave me some powerful flashbacks to some pre-junior year memories. While this track is only two years old, given the dramatic progression of local hip-hop, the video seems to hearken back to a simpler time in the Seattle music scene. 
My favorite part of the video? Gatsby is sporting a Colton Harris Moore (A.K.A the barefoot bandit) fan club t-shirt. #FreeColton

The Nu tang Clan (Nu Era)

My newest discovery, Seattle's Nu Era stays truer to the Seattle "true school" hip hop style genre than almost any other group I've listened to. In the video above for "Nu tang", the beat is simple yet dynamic. The track is ascetically pleasing. The video is also one of the best I have seen in a while. The fast pace of the song and filming gives the video a feeling similar to an action movie...with an even better soundtrack.
On their latest album Sink or Swim, the group brings in guest singers Camillo Recchio and Ray Dalton to accompany tracks that are lyrically conscious and brutally honest. The 10th song of the album, "Missed It", epitomizes the group's musical capability. The song discusses each MC's regrets and worries. "And I wish, that my uncle never got deported, and I wish, that this life was more rewarding, and I wish, less stress at an early age..". Camillo Recchio lends her vocal talents to the background of each verse and the feature on each hook. The song is haunting, and one of the most moving tracks I have heard out of Seattle.

After discovering the emerging talent that is Nu Era, I will be sure to keep up to date on their upcoming releases!

The Mysterious Wilson Luxurious

For all the die-hard view city fans out there (still working on building that demographic of the fan base) that read my post on Sam Lachow, you know that I named Wilson Luxurious as one of the rapper/producer's sidekick's of interest.
With Sam Lachow releasing the first official work of WL via a music video on his Youtube channel ShankboneLachow yesterday, I was able to take a step in uncovering the mystery of "Who is Wilson Luxurious and how did he get so awesome?". The song, "Holographic", is another entertaining look into the crazy and strange lives of Lachow's buddies. Like most Lachow productions, the track and video feels more like a party than a single song. The video features Wilson Luxurious, Sam Lachow, Sky "Blaow" Swenson dressed up in a gorilla suit, a guy dressed up as a rabbi,  and a bunch of other odd characters smoking out of bongs, drinking whiskey out of wine glasses? putting blue face paint on and showing off Pokemon cards. Lachow and Luxurious go back and forth splitting verses, rapping about a bunch of random stuff. To list some their talking points...
they rapped about themselves: "I'm seasoned like a bag of wasabi chips-WL", "I'm chill as ever, real as ever-SL". They rap about each other: "I kinda like your rapping too-SL", "I didn't even want you on this track I wasn't tryna be rude"-WL". And their favorite things: "My favorite Pokemon is Machamp, my favorite donuts glazed, my favorite weed's blue dream, maybe silver haze"-SL, "My favorite liqours whiskey my favorite mixer is ginger, one of my favorite hobbies is never losing my temper"-WL. 
The lyrics keep the listener intrigued and entertained while the varying styles of each rapper compliment each other perfectly.
With the rise of Seattle hip-hop, the culture of local songs and videos and has become more serious and professional. This is a good thing. However, it is refreshing to see a guy like Wilson Luxurious or Sam Lachow get together with a group of friends, goof around, do a bunch of stupid stuff, but still make an awesome video.  The main feeling that is conveyed though this newest addition to the "Shankbonelachow" collection is that Lachow and company are thoroughly enjoying themselves.
It sounds like a new album is coming soon from Wilson Luxurious, so hopefully we can learn more about this guy and rock out to some new tunes from the Sam Lachow crew.

My favorite line from the song? Lachow  listing off my three favorite childhood book series-"I'm a 90's baby, Randy Johnson and Dave Neihaus, Goosebumps, Captain Underpants and Magic Treehouse"

-Sam Lachow

Jarv Dee- "I Just Wanna"

This dreary June Monday marked my first day of work for this summer. Hands are still covered in paint and I'm already feeling worn out. It's days like this that I'm thankful for our city's abundance of musical talent.
The Seattle artist that earns my song of the day selection is Jarv Dee. Featured in Nacho Picasso's Moor Gang, Jarv Dee caught my attention with his video for "I Just Wanna", off his latest album Dopamine.
For anyone that's ever had a bad day and just wants to say fuck it (As Jarv Dee does in the opening line), "I Just Wanna" is a perfect song to sooth the soul. The track features a hook that is completely perfect in it's own right. With the lyrics, "I just wanna smoke my weed and drink some of my fifth, they ask me why I am a dawg I say well life's a bitch" Jarv bluntly lays out his priorities (no pun intended), leading the listener to lean back and say "Word Jarv Dee, word".  Jarv Dee's Effortless flow goes hand in hand with the laid back beat, and advertises punchlines such as "I'm in love with Mary Jane, call me Peter Parker ", and "Call me Mr. DUI  yes I'm higher than the sky".
Regularly collaborating with Nacho Picasso, I hope to see Jarv Dee make an appearance at Nacho's block party set! 
Download Dopamine for free here.

Spotlight on the Alabama Shakes

With the emergence of the Black Keys and the lasting footprint left by the White Stripes, a significant interest in blues driven indie rock has been instilled in today's youth. As a result, the Alabama Shakes of Athens Alabama have picked an ideal time to debut their talents. Released in April, their most recent album Boys and Girls features their hit song "Hold On" which is getting some nationwide radio play. Like most casual fans of the Alabama Shakes, "Hold On" was the track that drew me into the group's music, but dig deeper into the record and you will find upbeat tracks, moving lyrics, and an unmatched amount of soul. 

"Hang Loose" starts out with a fast paced country feel, but as the song reaches the chorus the band changes key and adds some splashy drumming and drawn out guitar strums to give the track a moody jazz tone. An organ kicks in late and brings the song back home to the band's blues roots.  

On "Heartbraker", singer Brittany Howard takes the listener on soulful journey through the emotional intent of the song. With such variation in lyrical theme and musical style,  Boys and Girls is an album that deserves to be listened straight through.
Next to not picking Kentucky to win the NCAA tournament while filling out my bracket, one of my greatest regrets so far in 2012 was not seeing the Alabama Shakes at Sasquatch this year. However, I will be sure to catch a show next time their in town. 

Bring Em Back!

With the Oklahoma City Thunder currently playing for an NBA championship, Sonics fans are likely more bitter than ever before. However, with San Francisco hedge fund manager Chris Hansen displaying an interest in building a new basketball arena in Seattle, there also seems to be more energy surrounding the future of Sonics basketball than there has been since Clay Bennet shipped the team off to OKC.
  This afternoon Sonics fans congregated in Pioneer Square's Occidental Park to celebrate the possibility of getting new team, and to rally for a new NBA arena in Seattle. The event featured performances from Common Market, The Presidents of the United States of America, and the Blue Scholars. Speeches were also given by Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, Nate Robinson, Down Constantine, Chris Hansen and former Sonics play by play announcer Kevin Colabro.

During his show following the rally, KJR talk show host Dave Softy Mahler described the event as a Sonics family reunion. Among the several thousand attendees I spotted Seattle's biggest sports fan "Big Lo", director of Sonicsgate Jason Reid, and several people dressed up in Sasquatch costumes. Seeing all the familiar faces gave me a weird feeling of dejavu, as if I was back in elementary school watching Gary Payton and company take on the competition from the upper level of Key Arena.
 After a solid performance from Common Market to start off the rally, The President's played a rousing set that featured their Seattle basketball anthem "Supersonics".

The highlight of the rally occurred during the Blue Scholars' headlining set. During their performance of "North by Northwest", Macklemore and Grynch ran out on the stage and proceeded to spit verses over the Sabzi beat. Despite the fact that the rally drew a more sports oriented audience, the Seattle MC's rocked an enthused crowd. "Maybe we should have ended with that one?" Sabzi joked after the song ended. The Scholars closed out their set with their song "Slick Watts", an ode to Sonics basketball and the man who made the headband famous. It was very cool given that Slick Watts was in attendance.

Hedge fund investor and Seattle basketball savior Chris Hansen capped of the rally with a humble address to the sea of gold and green. Hansen nervously laid out his plan to build a new arena and bring an NBA team to Seattle.  Putting his arm around the much smaller Hansen, former Sonics star Gary Payton chuckled into the microphone. "Our guy Chris is a little shy here but it's ok!" Chants of "Thank you Chris!, Thank you Chris" drowned out Hansen's attempts to thank the people who put the rally together. A proud day for Sonics fans to say the least. 

Fearce and Bean-"I Want It All"

New video from Dyme Def's "Fierce Villain". The video features Fierce rapping while biking around the city.  Discussing growing up and his journey towards reaching his ambitions, "I Want it All" is another intimate and heartfelt track from the Dyme Def front man.
"I want it all, is what I used to say when I was four feet tall"

Check out more music from Dyme Def at http://yuktheworld.com/

Spac3man!

Seattle MC Spac3man telling his story for a feature on Grammy.com. This guy is very entertaining to watch, and the interview definitely makes me want to go check out a show.
I was lucky enough to see Spac3man at this year's Sasquatch Festival over Memorial Day weekend. Proclaiming himself as Seattle's Waka Flocka, Spac3man rocked a small but energetic crowd. Spac3man's music is nothing new, but his infectious energy and intriguing personality help him stick out in the city' hip hop landscape.
Performing on the same day as Nacho Picasso, I look forward to seeing Spac3man's set at this year's Capitol Hill Block Party.

Holding Patterns (Porcelain) by Wolfy Bauer from Louis Weissman on Vimeo.

I stumbled upon this video while creeping on my old friend's Vimeo profile. I was extremely impressed. The combination  of some eerie film making combined with a chilling song results in a fine display of local talent. The song is depressing, yet extremely moving. Harmonies mix over soulful vocals to emphasize different parts of the track. A synthesizer kicks in halfway through the song and adds a haunting electronic feel.
 I was even more impressed when I looked in to some of the singer's other work. Wolfy keeps his songs simple, proving that moody lyrics, and eloquent guitar playing are all he needs. Check out more songs from Wolfy Bauer on his Soundcloud page:

Memphis May Fire-"Vices"

Another preview from Memphis May Fire's new album Challenger, set to release on June 26th. I know I already posted about the upcoming album, but released this morning, this might just be my favorite song from the band yet, and that says a lot. If you can't deal with the screaming fast forward to the chorus and outro where Matty Mullins displays some impressive range. 

Album Review: Taco Tuesday, Brothers From Another

BFA's fourth EP, Taco Tuesday, reflects the way in which this group of college sophomores has matured. The EP is dynamic, fabulously produced, and brings in a number of intriguing guest artists. At the same time however, BFA still relies on the youthful lyrics and lighthearted vibe that brought them to the forefront of Seattle's hip hop scene. The EP is a compelling combination. A coming of age effort is mixed with tales of mischief and hard learned lessons. The group paints a picture of two young men growing up and pursuing their dreams while approaching each challenge with a laid back attitude. The messages that their music conveys couldn't be more applicable to the lives of Seattle's youth. With Grynch and Blue Scholars' MC Geologic posting about the release of the EP several times in the previous week, it's clear that this was the most highly anticipated BFA EP yet. Their most diverse collection of songs to date, the EP starts off with two mellowed out tracks. "Love Cares", featuring the breezy vocals of Mario and Malice Sweet, and "Molly Moon", another BFA shout out to summers in the emerald city, and Seattle's most famous ice cream parlor.  

Taco Tuesday's third song, "Sonic Boom" is a celebration of Seattle and it's growing hip hop community.  With every new release, "a song about Seattle" is almost expected now a days from every local rapper. However, despite the unoriginal theme, "Sonic Boom" is my favorite track off the new EP. Sampling the voice of Sonic's play by play announcer Kevin Calabro and Macklemore's line "My city's filthy" on the chorus, MC's Goonstar and Cole go on to rap about the influence of local hip hop on their lives while giving shout outs to just about every Seattle rapper you can think of. "Not knowing that our lives would be affected by the lyrics and direction of our city's local legends" raps Cole. By far the best line in the song.

Another highlight of the new release was the sixth and final song off the EP, "5th of May". The track features Spokane band-Nude. 2012's  EMP Sound Off winners, the experimental indie band adds a surreal and psychedelic backround to some more serious sounding verses from Cole and Goon. The addition of Nude is certainly one of the best local hip hop collaborations I have heard in a while. 

Like most local rappers, Brothers From Another truly make me proud to live in Seattle. The EP also makes me want to drive to the nearest Jack in the Box and load up on some tacos.

Check out the link above to download the entire new EP for free!

East Blaine St. stairway

From the Ashes of Shankbone, A Star Rises

I can't say that I have always been too high on Sam Lachow. The 21 year old Seattle MC, and former Shankbone frontman has been jetting back and forth between New York and Seattle for the past three years, steadily writing and producing new music, shooting videos and relentlessly promoting himself over facebook and twitter.
I was first introduced to Shankbone about four years ago. At the time Lachow was still a senior at Garfield High School, and the group seemed to be a joke. Shankbone's claim to fame, "Blaow" or "Bajillion Bills", featured the chorus line: "Tonight I'm getting paid a bajillion bills, tonight I'm gettin laid by 41 girls, tonight I'm gon' be smokin the best pot in the world its gonna happen tonight". While comical, and I'll admit a little catchy, the song seemed to reflect a group of artists that were lacking in substance and depth.
After graduating from high school, my expectation was that Shankbone would cease to exist. I was wrong. The title of Shankbone has gone away, but Sam Lachow, and fellow Shankbone member Skyler "Sky Blaow" Swenson have continued to churn out new tunes and videos.
Whether it has been by choice or not, I have ended up paying more attention to Sam Lachow and his endeavors than almost any other local artist. With new songs and videos popping up all over my Facebook news feed, Lachow has proven himself to be a force to be reckoned with in the Seattle hip-hop community. With many of his videos reaching over 50,000 thousand views on youtube, his rise to fame is impressive. More importantly, the quality of his music has significantly increased. Though not up to the standards of more recognized Seattle artists, Lachow has brought together a wide range of budding musicians to create an exciting cornucopia of musical fusion. Taking a serious tone and rapping about his friends that have passed away, Lachow teams up with local rapper Raz and a moving horn section in the video above. Below, Sam Lachow's song "Liquor Store" off his Avenue Music EP features the talents of singer  Arianna Deboo  in addition to another appearance by Raz. Lachow has also joined forces with Knowmads' MC Tom Pepe, Nacho Picasso, co-producer Maggie Brown, and a bunch of other crazy characters. You can see them all in his "23rd Avenue" music video. Make sure to check out the verse from Lachow's buddy Wilson Luxurious. I have to agree with one of the top comments for the "23rd Avenue" video. "Who is Wilson Luxurious, and how did he get so awesome?".
Through his work, Lachow proves that he is a better music and video producer than rapper. He says it best in the video below, "I'm not a rapper, I just rap a lot". Most of the artists that make guest appearances on Lachow's songs usually out do him. However, his music should be respected. It is clear that Lachow puts his heart and soul into every song, and has a blast doing it. While he might not be the musical highlight for each of his songs, he is bringing together artists and crafting songs that are catching people's attention.

Sam Lachow's collection of songs and videos can be compared to a puzzle. Lachow's songs are laced with thoughtful lyrics, catchy choruses, intriguing beats and tasteful videos. Though not every aspect is fully present in each of Lachow's songs, these features are what define this ever developing artist. With some sorting, one can find a wealth of compelling musical material amongst Lachow's repertoire. The next step for Sam Lachow will be putting together more complete songs that include each aspect.
He is well on his way. His latest EP, Avenue Music was some of his strongest and most convincing piece of work yet.
What Sam Lachow has taught me, is that every artist deserves a chance. Though each song of his might not be golden, Lachow is on his way to making a name for himself.
Check out  http://blog.samlachow.com/  for more songs and videos.

June Gloom 2012

Luckily this overcast day was salvaged with a trip to Capitol Hill's Everyday Music. Classic VHS tapes for 50 cents each and bargain CD's are always ready to be found.

Seattle Rock Feature: The Lookout

It is no secret that the Seattle music scene has become predominantly hip-hop based. Seattle area youth flock to popular venues such as Nuemos, the Showbox and the Nectar Lounge to watch local hip-hop shows. Meanwhile, once prominent rock venues have struggled to attract a new generation of fans. With a lack of publicity and hype, up and coming Seattle bands have been unfairly overlooked. As a result, it comes as no surprise that most of you probably haven't even heard of one Seattle's best new bands.
One of my best discoveries of 2012, The Lookout has become a local favorite of mine. The Lookout's sound is a mix of punk, alternative, and pop, with hints of metal. Originally from Great Falls Montana, this group of Northwest transplants has been rocking Seattle area venues for the past three years. The band released a self titled EP in 2010, and has steadily been writing new material since, consistently posting new songs on their Facebook page. This March, the band released their second EP Substance not Substances. I recommend listening to "Wolves", and "Less Talk (More Rock)". However, one of their most recent songs "Skeletons" is their best track yet. The video for "Skeletons" is a perfect compliment to the song. Filmed outside of SODO's Studio 7 and in a Seattle warehouse, the video reflects the simple yet compelling style of The Lookout. Featuring calm but dramatic verses and a moving chorus, the song and video won me over. Frontman Nick Emacio's powerful high ranging vocals kick in on the song's bridge as he screams into his microphone, revealing a heavier side to the band. Giving the track an eerie feel, "Skeletons" also features the use of a keyboard. "I'm so terrified of closing my eyes tonight" sings Emacio. "Will I fall asleep and wake in another time?".

The Lookout's style is similar to pop punk bands such as Yellowcard and Simple Plan, though their music has a darker side to it that almost reflects an emo-rock feel. With indie and experimental bands dominating the Seattle rock scene, the Lookout's pop-punk sound is a refreshing change of pace.
While the band's music is certainly something to get excited about, The Lookout's lack of recognition is concerning. Despite opening for bands such as Hawthorne Heights and Unwritten Law, they have failed to receive a substantial buzz outside of the local rock community. I had the pleasure of attending one of their concerts at El Corazon late last March. While I was blown away by the bands distinguished sound and character, I was shocked by how poorly attended the concert was. Even with Warped Tour member Moneta headlining the concert, the Lookout played to an audience of only 40-50 people, with most of the audienec crammed into the venue's bar area.
The problem seems to be rooted in Seattle's current musical culture. It's awesome to live in a city with such a rich surplus of talent. However, the core musical interest of the city seems to be focused on hip-hop and indie. Almost similar to the grunge era of the early 90's, more people than ever are venturing to venues to hear local hip hop artists, regardless of the act's level of exposure. This has created a culture in which Seattle rappers are getting famous faster than ever before.
Don't get me wrong, this is amazing!. Many artists are getting the respect they finally deserve. However, this intense focus on Seattle's hip-hop scene, and a lasting monopoly imposed by the regions wealth of indie bands has nudged listeners in the opposite direction of Seattle's hard rock scene. Outside of occasional  throwbacks to outdated grunge rock hits, listeners will rarely hear local, mainstream sounding rock on the radio. No longer common for Seattle teens to regularly attend underground rock shows, it seems as if this spectrum of local music has been forgotten.
With bands like The Lookout playing around the Seattle area, now is a great time to re-embrace the genre  that put this city on the nation's musical map.
Check out The Lookout on Facebook for music and show updates, and be sure to make it to a show soon!

Metal Feature: Countdown to Memphis May Fire's "Challenger"

Debating what to write about, I found myself conflicted. A post about a Texas thrash metal band doesn't seem to fit in with commentary on Seattle's hip hop scene. However, I'd rather discuss music that interests me than be contained to a single genre or location.
So here it is. Upon my introduction to thrash/hardcore metal I found myself covering my ears. The current hardcore scene involves an onslaught of screaming, blast beats and layers of distortion. While I could appreciate the technicality of the music, it just seemed like white noise. But! as I dug deeper I discovered a more progressive and dynamic sound from a number of budding metal bands.
Bands such as Mudvayne, Killswitch Engage and Bullet for my Valentine caught my attention. Angry lyrics and a balanced mix of screaming and singing highlighted this faction of the metal world. While these bands drew me into the genre, Dallas grown and Rise Records pride Memphis May Fire has become my favorite.
Like Mudvayne and Bullet for my Valentine, Memphis May fire has a perfect balance of screaming and singing. Singer Matty Mullins mixes melodic vocal tones and angry lyrics with harsh pre-chorus screaming segments. The band's style is dynamic, melodic and poetic, while still sticking to its metalcore roots.
Memphis May Fire's music can be compared to writing a letter. Although the purpose of the letter can usually be accomplished with one sentence, varied vocabulary, effective word placement and proper punctuation contribute to a more powerful message. While most metal bands use the single sentence approach, Memphis May Fire puts off revealing the purpose of each song through verses and pre-choruses that fluctuate in tone and feel, before diving into aggressive hooks that let the listener in on all he or she needs to know.
With the band coming off its latest success, 2011's The Hollow, Memphis May Fire has gained a dedicated fan base. And with the announcement of their newest record Challenger, June 26th just became the new Christmas for Memphis May Fire Fans. The band recently  released "Prove me Right" over youtube, an early look at what the new record will sound like. The song seems to discuss the dark side of the music business and the role of record companies. "Where were you when they had no faith in us?" screams Mullins.  Judging from the song, Memphis May Fire is angrier, more dynamic, and more meftal driven than ever before.  In addition, the band just released a full album teaser with snippets of each song of the upcoming album. The new song "Vices" sounds like the albums best track. Fast forward to the 1:40 mark in the video below.

Giving fans a steady dose of material to hold them over until the albums release, Memphis May Fire has released four studio updates over their youtube page. The updates feature bassist Cory Elder vocally recording bass tracks through a sound mixer, guitarist Kellen McGregor taping off every fret that doesn't sound "southern", and Asking Alexandria's singer Danny Worsnop making a guest appearance. All aspects seem to suggest that the band's next album is something to look forward to. 

Speaking of having something to look forward to, Memphis May Fire has joined the 2012 Warped Tour and will be coming to Redmond's Marymoor park on August 4th. I will be sure to attend and you all should to!

My favorite May Fire song: "The Victim"