Zero Barriers To Entry - Featuring Brother Ali and Adam Warrock & Mikal kHill

Brother Ali - The Bite Marked Heart EP

Waveriders, can you say smooth operator?  Good, I knew you could.  If you were not aware there has been a change made to our language.  Smooth operator is now spelled Brother Ali.  Not that anyone remotely familiar with Brother Ali doubted how smooth he can be on record, but with the release of The Bite Marked EP the whole country now has to concede the point.  This free seven song EP was released the day before Valentine’s Day, and it is as smooth as the surface of an undisturbed pond.

Brother Ali is one of those artists that made an immediate impact upon me when I first heard his music.  It’s been five years since I decided to pick up a copy of his album The Undisputed Truth, and I’ve never looked back.  This man is not only a great lyricist.  He’s a storyteller of the highest order.  His always honest, sometimes scathing lyrics connect with the listener in a trustworthy manner that I find to be quite rare.  No matter whether he rhymes about personal triumphs and failings, or weaves a compelling piece of fiction highlighting a specific societal ill the listener can always tell that what they are hearing is coming straight from the heart.  Brother Ali will connect directly to your emotional core.  If you remain unaffected, you’re purposely not paying attention.

The Bite Marked Heart EP, in comparison with his other releases, is singularly focused.  You won’t find the next club anthem here.  The music varies from mid- to low-tempo and sounds very elegant thanks to the exemplary production work of Jake One and Ant.  All seven of the songs on the EP, in one way or another, address the same issue.  Thanks to a Facebook link I found a wonderful interview on www.rubyhornet.com where Brother Ali explains his concept.  He states that, “the idea of the Bite Marked Heart is that we’re dealing in the world of human interactions with imperfect human beings interacting with each other and trying to make a world that’s conducive to living in a dignified way.  The idea of the Bite Marked Heart is that when we’re in love with somebody, we’re at the most vulnerable, the most naked, and we open ourselves up to each other almost completely or as much as we do with anybody. Then we proceed to hurt each other and get hurt.”  His explanation continued on, but I think you waveriders get the gist.

Folks, do yourselves a favor and download The Bite Marked Heart EP.  It’s fantastic and it’s free!  That is one terrific combination if you ask me.  What are you waiting for?  Go now.

Get It Here- http://soundcloud.com/rhymesayers/sets/brother-ali-the-bite-marked

Adam Warrock & Mikal kHill - The Browncoats Mixtape

Thank goodness for revelations brought about from attending live concerts!  A few weeks back I witnessed a tremendous hip hop show.  That show marked the first time I had seen Adam Warrock.  Actually, that was the first time I had heard more than a guest verse from the man.  He was good waveriders.  Very good.  But that’s not what we’re talking about right now.  No, we’re talking about an important piece of information that Mr. Warrock casually dropped during his performance.  It turns out that working with another artist named Mikal kHill he released an entire mixtape dedicated to Joss Whedon’s television show Firefly and its related film Serenity.

How in the name of (insert whatever you believe in here) did I not know about this until now?  I wholeheartedly love Firefly/Serenity!  Wait, I’m not sure you read that correctly.  I ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY LOVE THAT SHOW!  It easily ranks as one of my favorite shows of all time.  In fact, if you’ve ever seen the show it is incredibly likely that you feel the same way.  Firefly is a property that inspires great loyalty in its fans.  People like yours truly.  When I discovered that I was unaware of the existence of this mixtape I felt like slapping myself.  Hard.  It doesn’t matter that the mixtape only came out a few months back in September of 2011.  The fact that I didn’t know about it until after its release is galling enough.  What makes this situation worse is that The Browncoats Mixtape is superb!

Clearly I am not an impartial observer, but for arguments sake let’s assume I had never heard of Firefly.  I would still think this mixtape is pretty spectacular.  Adam Warrock is a charismatic, precise lyricist.  His words often feel like they carry great weight thanks to his sincere delivery.  Also, whether it is done on purpose or not, Mr. Warrock’s wordplay is very deliberate.  It is abundantly clear that these lyrics were contemplated over and carefully constructed to achieve maximum effect on the listener.  On the production side of things, Mikal kHill utilizes samples taken exclusively from the TV show and movie to create a unique sonic tapestry that blends contemplative folk music with modern beats.  Most songs have a laid back swagger that is downright infectious.  If I were forced to choose a favorite song it would have to be “River”.  That track is utterly captivating!

Waveriders, go download The Browncoats Mixtape immediately.  It is free, and it is marvelous!  Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to listen to it again.

--Penfold

Get Here- http://www.adamwarrock.com/browncoatsmixtape/

Mirandom - The Memorandum

This episode of Music Cops was filmed on location somewhere inside the continental United States of America.  We pick up the action riding along with Officer Penfold.

Wednesday, 7:44 PM
“Attention all units.  This is dispatch.  We have received reports of a four fifty-five in progress near the corner of Commonwealth and Main.  Multiple suspects.  All units in the vicinity please respond.”
“Copy that dispatch.  This is Car Ripple.  I’m four blocks away from suspects’ location.  Officer Penfold en route.”
“Transmission received Car Ripple.  Proceed with caution.”
“Roger that dispatch.”
The cameraman in the passenger seat keeps his lens pointed towards Officer Penfold as he mashes the accelerator and activates the car’s siren.  Officer Penfold addresses him moments later.
“Man, another four fifty-five?  Persons listening to terrible music.  I’m telling you, these incidents are happening far too much for my taste.  This is the fifth call in the past two weeks!  It makes you wonder why people have such a hard time finding the cream of the musical crop.”
In less than a minute the patrol car reaches the corner of Commonwealth and Main.
“All right, let’s see what we’ve got here.”
The camera pans right to show beams of light pulsating through the open doorway and darkened windows of a nondescript, one story building.  The building’s interior is packed full of people gyrating in rhythm to some obnoxious song.  Three more patrol cars pull up moments later, and the four officers they carry quickly take direction from Officer Penfold.
“Okay, here’s the deal.  Our holstered hand speakers aren’t powerful enough to cut through this noise.  We’re going to need the heavy artillery.  I need each of you to position the rear of your vehicle so that it’s pointed towards the front of the building.  We’ll use our customized trunk speakers to play some high quality tunes that will draw the suspects out.”
“Will do Penfold.  What music are you going to play this time?”
“The same album I used the last three times Johnson.  It’s the new release from Mirandom.  Now go!”
All four cars backed into position, popped their trunks, and powered up their speaker arrays.  Officer Penfold wirelessly networked the other three cars’ speaker systems with his stereo, inserted the Mirandom CD, and hit play.  It took only a few moments before the righteous music blaring out of the monstrous police speakers lured the first few suspects out of the building.  One minute later the terrible music inside had stopped, and shortly thereafter everyone who had been inside the building was gathered behind the police cruisers.  Penfold stopped the music and addressed the crowd.
“Good evening everyone.  My name is Officer Penfold.  My fellow officers and I were called out to this location tonight because you were all committing a crime.”
“Are you going to arrest us,” asked someone in the crowd.
“Perhaps.  Listening to terrible music is a crime that not only affects you, but those around you as well.  Therefore, I’d like to now remind you of your Musical Miranda Rights.”

‘You have the right to listen to good music.  Any bad music you listen to can and will be held against you in the court of public opinion.  You have the right to speak to a music fanatic.  If you do not know a music fanatic, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you?’

The cameraman caught everyone in the crowd nodding their agreement.
“Very good.  I’m going to let you all off with a warning this time, but don’t let me catch you listening to sub-par music again.  For now take this Mirandom album and play it when you go back inside.  Have a nice night.”

My fellow waveriders, it’s that time again.  That’s right!  It’s time to discuss a terrific new hip-hop album!  Hooray!  What is the name of this fantastic work you ask?  I’ll tell you.  The album is entitled The Memorandum, and the dynamic lyrical duo which made it is known to the world as Mirandom (a combination of their two names, Random and Mr. Miranda).  This is an album that you all needed to know about yesterday, or better yet, last Wednesday.   Perhaps that whole ‘last Wednesday’ thing seems strange right now but trust me, after one listen to this album it will all make sense.

Those of you familiar with my work on The Ripple Effect may recognize the name Random.  One of my first writeups laid bare my love of Forever Famicom, an album he made with producer K-Murdock.  Random is far and away one of my favorite artists today.  Not only is he tremendously prolific, but his work has never disappointed me in any way, shape, or form.  Not once!  In fact my only problem with Random is that because I know with absolute certainty that I will like whatever it is he releases, I sometimes hold off on listening to his work in favor of trying to find someone new.  The Mirandom album neatly sidesteps around that pitfall thanks to the presence of Mr. Miranda.  While I had heard of Mr. Miranda thanks to a couple of song collaborations with Random over the years, I’d never actually sat down and paid attention to what he was about.  Well waveriders, I can tell you that The Memorandum changed that quick, fast, and in a hurry!

Both of these emcees have what I describe as an athletic lyrical flow.  Their wordplay speeds up and slows down based on the needs of the song and what type of feeling they’re trying to convey.  It is a great testament that both lyricists maintain an almost conversation-like atmosphere throughout the entire album.  This comfortable atmosphere succeeds at welcoming the listener into whatever world they are creating.  Speaking of world creation, Random and Mr. Miranda prove repeatedly that they are not only great rappers but great storytellers as well!  Anyone desiring proof need look no further than “The Untold Story” where the two create a new urban legend describing how they met.  Personally, I can’t help but laugh every time I listen to the highly amusing wingman’s lament “Busted One”.  Is storytelling not your thing?  Maybe you’re looking for some conscious hip-hop instead?  Take a listen to “Home” or “Eastsider”.   Still not satisfied?  Perhaps you want a little battle rap?  Well I won’t call it a straight up battle rap but “Big Beat Jawn” comes very, very close.  The bottom line here is that The Memorandum is an exceptionally versatile album.

Before I wrap this up I would like to make a couple of things abundantly clear.  First of all The Memorandum does not contain any misogyny, overt violence, or glorification of criminal activity.  I can’t even recall any serious curse words.  I’m not implying that music incorporating these elements has no place in the world.  I for one lost count a long time ago as to how many parental advisory albums I own.  No, I just want to clarify that if those things happen to be what you are looking for in your hip-hop you won’t find it on this album.  Second, and more importantly for me, this is intelligent music.  This is smart hip-hop made by two smart wordsmiths supported by a few excellent producers.  No element of this music has been dumbed down.  Don’t get me wrong folks.  Your enjoyment of this album does not hinge upon whether you’ve received your Doctorate yet.  Not one bit!  All I’m saying is that it’s always refreshing to hear hip-hop artists using impressive vocabularies inside sophisticated rhyme patterns.

Waveriders, do you need to hear an album that will lift your spirits?  Do you like music that makes you think?  Do you need an album that will make you smile?  Is clever wordplay something that you enjoy?  Would you like to listen to some tunes with production that will allow you to get your groove on?  If the answer to any one of these questions is yes you need to head over to http://megaranmusic.com/album/random-and-mr-miranda-the-memorandum and sample the wares.  Just don’t blame me when you too become a repeat customer!

--Penfold

http://megaranmusic.com/album/random-and-mr-miranda-the-memorandum



 

Waveriders - Here's what the Ripple has in store for you

Waveriders!  First of all, thank you all so much for popping in with us and checking out reviews on the "best music you're not listening to."  Our goal is for our writers to find music that truly excites them, then unleash themselves upon their keyboards to write missives and spread the word.

We've been growing like crazy recently, as we've crossed over 3,000,000 hits and our staff keeps on expanding so here's a preview of what each week has in store for you.  Of course, sometimes things change because of schedules, but basically, here's the rundown.

Sunday begins our week with Cicatriz laying down the hardcore punk and metal, grindcore, deathcore, and occasional variation followed by The Slapphappy Mortician digging into weird worlds of electronica and interesting pop.

Monday is Racer and the Pope writing about whatever catches their ears.  Look for a resurrection of the regular columns we used to do so frequently, like the Proto-metal Report, Musical Martyrs, On the Ripple Desk, and Single Life.  You never know what might catch Racer or Pope's ears for writing that week, but it will probably be full of ambient metal, stoner groove, retro-rock, post-punk, garage and punk.

Tuesday brings on the fuzz with Heddbuzz laying into the stoner groove, doom, and riff rock, followed by Ripple's very own graphic artist, Boogs, writing about what ever rocks his world.  But it will rock.

Wednesday is filled with the missives of Penfold and his regalia of tales as he explores the worlds of avant-metal, hip hop, and pop darkness.  Following which comes our own NW radio personality, Odin, who's all metal all the time. 

Thursday we get entertained by the punky, rocky, metallic, off-the-cuff world of Woody as he delves into his love of all things Motorhead, Stooges, Grand Funk and more.  And don't forget his occasional reading list suggestions, The Ripple Library, with books full of rich rock history.  Then, on days when we're lucky, England's Grifter, Ollie, lays down some heavy riff-rock love.

Friday is heavy, with Horn and his love of metal, sludge, doom and jazz followed by Ripple's newest scribe, Gorgeous Nightmare who delves into metal of all sorts from gothic, to sleaze, to power.

Saturday brings the varied and entertaining worlds of Mr Brownstone and Old School who's ears perk up with wonderously different sounds.  Expect lots of alternative pop, classic rock, blues, jazz and even a touch of bluegrass.  But really, we never know what's going to come next. 

On top of that, we'll still publish the odd bit of news, free compilation links, and interviews.  And the Blogtalkradio link updates every month with the latest podcast from the Ripple Radio Show.

And don't forget to pop over to our companion facebook page, where we'll publish every week (if not every day) links to free downloadable singles, albums, and compilations.

Yes, it's all here on the Ripple.

Childish Gambino Camp

A week before the public schools let their students out for the summer my news station received a disturbing tip from an anonymous source. This tipster informed us that all was not right behind the cheery outer façade of Camp Glover, one of the premier summer camp destinations in Los Angeles, California. My station manager attempted to get more details from our tipster, but the only concrete statement he could get was that the children ‘were being brainwashed’. The tipster begged my manager to investigate, and he agreed. Due mainly to my seniority I drew the assignment. I checked out the necessary surveillance equipment from the station’s inventory and enrolled myself in the camp using their online registration form. Once I shaved my facial hair completely off, greased my hair, and put on some designer tees and a backwards baseball cap I resembled a seventeen year old boy. Huzzah!

I won’t bore you with every detail that emerged from the audio/video surveillance over the next couple of weeks, but I will highlight the event that I found most shocking and strange. On the very first night, the boys and girls were separated. The boys all gathered at the ‘Meeting Hall’ after the evening meal. My video cameras caught everything. Two young men addressed the assembled crowd from a stage at the end of the hall. One of the men sat in a throne-like chair and was identified as the founder of the camp, the Childish Gambino. He never spoke a word. Instead he allowed the second man (his Consigliere), to dole out all of the important information.

“Greetings campers. Welcome to Camp Glover. My name is Derrick. We are going to have a great summer, but first I need to let you know about a few important guidelines you’ll need to follow. First of all, the girls attending this camp along with their leader Belanie are not to be trusted. Treat them with respect, but never forget that they all live solely to break your heart.”

“Second, it is against the rules to refer to any of your fellow campers as a ‘bro’. There are NO ‘bros’ here, end of story. On a related note, you will not find any Nintendo gamecubes around this camp that ‘bros’ might ask you to play with them.”

“Third, every other Friday starting next week will officially be opposite day. We strongly urge you all to not go along with the scheduled activities on those days. Not attending these events will result in your ongoing residence at Camp Glover.”

“Lastly, I wanted to let you campers know about the exciting educational trip we have planned for the end of the summer. If any of you were unaware, there is a long running historical bond between Wallmart and Six Flags. History books willingly gloss over this subject, but trust me when I tell you that the connection is deep and profound.”


Attention waveriders, this is your captain speaking. If you would point your eyes towards the nearest available TV screen you will notice we are only running video clips highlighting a man named Donald Glover. You see, Donald Glover is a man of many talents. You might not know this folks, but besides being a terrific comedic actor (see Community) with hilarious stand-up material (recently featured on Comedy Central) he is also a very talented hip hop artist. The music is released under the name Childish Gambino, and for the next little while we are going to be discussing his debut album Camp.

Let me make this abundantly clear up front. Donald Glover is a very funny man but his music is not, I repeat not, a joke. Is it amusing? Absolutely! Could someone dismiss any of the songs on Camp as simply novelty music? Absolutely not! Each of these tracks provide exactly what I’m looking for when I listen to hip hop, honest expression based upon that artist’s unique perspective/experience. Seriously that is the main thing I’m asking for. The very first verse from album opener “Outside” is a great example.

I used to dream every night, now I don't dream at all / Hopin' that it's cause I'm livin' everything I want /
Used to wake up in a bed between my mom and aunt / Playing with this land before time toy from pizza hut / My dad works nights / Putting on a stone face / He's saving up so we can get our own place / In the projects, man that sounds fancy to me / They called me fat nose, my mom say you handsome to me / Mrs. Glover ma'am, your son is so advanced / But he's acting up in class and keeps peeing in his pants / And I just wanna fit in, but nobody was helping me out / They talking hood shit and I ain't know what that was about / Cause hood shit and black shit is super different / So I'm talking hood shit and cool it now like New Edition / Mom and dad wouldn't listen / They left the Bronx so I wouldn't be that / All their friends in NY deal crack / It's weird, you think that they'd be proud of him / But when you leave the hood they think that you look down on 'em / Truth is we still struggle on a different plane / 7 dollars an hour, with vouchers, it's all the same / Facebook messaging hopin' that could patch up shit / But all they get now is, "can your son read this script?"

Need another example of the kind of lyrical content I’m refering to? Try this second verse from “Hold You Down”.

The reason that they say I'm nothin' what they seen or heard's / The same reason Will Smith always opposite Latino girls / They only see you how they wanna see you / 'Til you make them see you in some other way / I'm trippin' off the other day / Cause God knows what these white kids sayin' / Dude you're not not racist cause The Wire's in your Netflix cue / Subtle racism / It's hard to pin it cause you'd only understand / If you were me for just a minute / This one kid said somethin' that was really bad / He said I wasn't really black because I had a dad / I think that's kinda sad / Mostly cause a lot of black kids think they should agree with that / If you're a father, you should stick around if you could / Cause even if you're bad at it, you get Tiger Woods / MJ / We warriors, we all need senseis / Change everything that we've done so far / I don't mean makin' B.E.T. T.E.R / I mean just the way that we see each other / I won't stop until they say, "James Franco is the white Donald Glover" / Yeah, these niggas wanted Cookie but instead I gave 'em Loch Ness / Sick Boi for life, my swag is in a hospice / Aimin' for the throne, Jay and Ye said to watch that / They ask me what I'm doin', I say I'm stealin' rock back

I’m not suggesting that every lyric in every song is going to set your listening world on fire. That’s preposterous since everyone identifies with and enjoys lyrical content differently. I’m merely suggesting that it would be well worth your time investigating Childish Gambino.

Now a few words about the production on this album. Camp maintains a solid, radio-friendly sound for its entire running length. Mr. Glover and production partner Ludwig Goransson clearly studied under the tutelage of Kanye West (no, not literally). Several tracks strongly remind me of Kanye’s work. I mean that as a compliment because I can easily imagine hearing every song on Camp being played on the radio. If the world is just, that may happen.

Waveriders, Childish Gambino is really good. No, scratch that. This Childish Gambino album is fantastic! If I had listened to my best friend and coworker (Horn) when they tried to expose me to this artist months ago, best believe you all would have heard about him much sooner. Ah well. Better late than never. Waveriders I urge you to pick up this album immediately. If you like quality hip hop, you’ll love Camp!

--Penfold

Restoring Vision - featuring En Stereo and One Eyed Kings

Years of hard work and diligent study elevated me to the top of my chosen profession.  My contributions to the field of medicine have been recognized with several prestigious awards, and my peers have showered me with accolades.  These honors have pushed me ever onward and upward in my quest to make the world a better place.  As any person regardless of profession will tell you however, the greatest honor one can receive is when someone in a position of power puts their trust in your abilities.  With that in mind you can imagine how I felt when I was asked to operate on not one, but two Kings.

Yes, two Kings!  From two different island nations!  Easter Island and Atlantis to be exact.  Important trade negotiations between these two countries had broken down over the lack of vision displayed on both sides of the negotiating table.  I mean this both figuratively and literally.  Despite being from two completely different countries and sharing no common ancestor, these two Kings suffered from the same ocular impairment.  Both of them were born with the ability to see out of only one eye.  With no real depth perception, the Kings were unable to see the logic behind some of their advisors’ more outlandish solutions.  That’s where I came in.

Luckily the trade negotiations were being held in Dallas, Texas (roughly the midway point between the two islands) where my primary office is located.  The 24-hour news cycle had kept me well informed about the trade impasse.  I called in a favor from an influential friend that allowed me to speak directly to the two Kings at the same time.  Once I was in front of them I laid out exactly how I could better their lives.  They were very apprehensive about my proposal initially.  Who could blame them?  What I proposed was an experimental surgery after all, but the potential reward was too fantastic to pass up.  Two days later, within hours of each other, I performed the complicated surgery on both Kings.

Thankfully both surgeries were completely successful.  Utilizing brand new techniques and technology, I had restored full vision to each man.  Seeing in stereo for the first time allowed both Kings to see the world in a whole new way.  The problems that seemed insurmountable before were revealed to be inconsequential, and the trade talks quickly came to an amicable conclusion.  Stone statues and arcane artifacts flowed freely from one country to the other with no tariffs or embargos to complicate matters.  The world was indeed a better place.

En Stereo - S/T

Coming to you from the hip-hop capital of the world, Denver, Colorado, I give you the dynamite group En Stereo.  Okay, maybe quality hip-hop music is not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Denver.  Well waveriders after listening to this album not only will you eagerly make that association, but you will also wonder what else Denver is hiding.  The city’s a mile above sea level after all.  That’s really high!  Anything could be up there!?  Right…back to the music.

As I alluded to earlier, En Stereo is made up of two talented individuals.  The song production and turntable manipulations are handled by Es Nine, and the vocals are deftly performed by Mane Rok.  This group is all about the classic boom bap flavor of hip hop.  That means they stick to the tried and true formula of hard, funky drum beats that propel the tight rhyming laid over top of them.  And you know what?  It’s captivating!  Everything sounds fantastic!  Es Nine, who has been making music since at least 1997, puts on a clinic with every one of these songs.  Skilled veteran status validated.  The vocal side of the equation is no slouch either.  Want a lyric sample?  Sure thing!  This is Mane Rok’s first verse from the song “The Essence”. 

Maybe it's me and I'm making believe / With high expectations of the way it should be /
Not that I live in the past just recognize it's gift / It's the foundation to move forward can't set aside this shit / I'm that born again BBoy baptized by Boom Bap / Developed skill unlike rap guys all who lack / Talent, cadence-control- found the way they should go/
Misleading marketing schemes / Out to take all your dough / I could dumb it down too but want more for folks / Not tryna sound like a smartass God only knows / Need that feeling back raiding records stores on Tuesdays / Reading liner notes like they bible quotes while loops play / Drums bang flows fresh-argue who’s dopest / Contents under pressures when you mark up the moments / Get up when they got down-If ya check what's hot now / Cold carcass of an artist who bargained for a pop sound....

I don’t think I have to add anything else, do I?  Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go listen to this top-notch album again.  I suggest you do the same.

Listen and Buy Here - http://enstereo.bandcamp.com/ 

One Eyed Kings - In The Land Of The Blind EP

Waveriders, sometimes you need to listen to something filled with righteous indignation.  If you’re like me you need this anger to be focused on something meaningful.  You need to hear that anger artfully expressed in an intelligent manner that makes you sit down and evaluate your personal values and beliefs.  Randomized, gratuitous violence doesn’t cut it.  Not for a moment.  You need something highly polemical…something like One Eyed Kings’ EP In The Land Of The Blind.

One Eyed Kings shares a couple of similarities with the group we just discussed, En Stereo.  This is a two man operation (the dynamic duo of producer Mr. Bostic and lyricist Bravo One) and they call Denver, Colorado home (what, you thought I was joking about Denver?).  The music is wonderfully organic, filled with samples of pianos and strings of all kinds.  Mr. Bostic uses this instrumentation to create exactly the right type of atmosphere on each song, one of sorrowful determination.  I apologize waveriders if that description doesn’t make sense.  It’s the best I can do.  The vocals are also very impressive.  Bravo One has a rock solid, confident lyrical flow.  His voice has just the right amount of aggression behind it, and impressively he doesn’t rely on profanities to get his points across.  Very nice indeed!

In The Land Of The Blind was originally released on December 7, 2010.  Therefore it makes perfect sense that the introduction is a choice snippet from FDR’s ‘Day of Infamy’ speech.  Once the introduction is out of the way the listener moves on to the four full-bodied songs on offer.  “Distortion” scathingly blasts conservative corporate media.  “All Roads Lead Home” featuring Hasan Salaam is a sober analysis of each emcee’s journey as they try to reach a state of contentment.  “The Ghetto” as you might have guessed explores the trying conditions facing the poor in the United States.  Lastly, “Say Something” featuring Rhias and Purpose, is a rousing call to arms demanding that people stand up against social injustices.

All in all, this is a tremendously entertaining EP.  If you’re looking to add some meaningful hip hop to your musical diet, look no further than One Eyed Kings.  Not only is their music good, it’s also free of charge.  That’s right, this EP is free!  Get to their bandcamp page and start downloading.  That’s an order.

--Penfold

Listen and Download Here - http://oneeyedkingsmusic.com/album/in-the-land-of-the-blind-ep

MC Frontalot - Solved

Hello.  Thank you very much for choosing The Ripple Effect for your promotional needs.  We pride ourselves on our ability to quickly spread the word about our clients’ new projects and ventures.  They put their trust in this company, the worldwide leader in the application of advanced advertising and overwhelming wave-based marketing strategies, and we reward them with concrete results.  The Ripple Effect operates in every social medium available; TV, film, print, the Internet, word of mouth, street corners, politics, laser etchings on the face of  the moon, etc.  For proof of what The Ripple can do for you please watch the accompanying DVD, which contains highlights of our TV campaign surrounding the release of MC Frontalot’s newest album, Solved.

Infomercial #1:  (set in a bright, well-lit studio lot)
“Hold on a second Mr. Penfold.  You’re telling me that one purchase will make all of my problems disappear!?”
“That’s right Mike!”
“All of my problems?”
“All of your problems!  Using the sage wisdom MC Frontalot delivers on his newest album, all of the problems in your life will be solved!”
“That’s incredible!  I just can’t believe it!”
“Believe it Mike!  Look, I have an English accent.  That means whatever I tell you must be true!”

Informercial #2: (takes place in a darkened one-on-one interview room)
“Now Mr. Frontalot…”
“Please, call me MC Frontalot.”
“Of course.  My apologies.  MC Frontalot, you have a new album that just came out?”
“Yes.  It’s entitled Solved.”
“I see.  Now, it’s come to my attention that the powers that be don’t want people to hear your album.  Is this correct?”
“Sadly yes.  They know that the information held within my songs will not only save people a lot of money, but will also stimulate areas of their brains glossed over by most mainstream artists.”
“And this threatens them and their positions of power?”
“Absolutely!  They’re trying to keep people in the dark, but my album will shed light on the truth!”

Liability Game Show:
“I’ll take Important Music of the New Millennium for four hundred Alec.”
“Alright, here’s the clue.  His newest album features a song called ‘Stoop Sale’, with lyrics that not only describe an urban yard sale but also detail humanity’s struggle between greed and doing right by others.”
“Who is MC Frontalot?”
“That is correct.  Choose again.”

Almost Crossing Over with Ron Sezwords:

“Ladies and gentlemen we have a very special guest with us today.  His name is MC Frontalot.  He is an expert in the field of the not quite dead and is here to assist those in the audience currently dealing with friends or loved ones in that terrible state.  So MC Frontalot, let’s get right down to it.  What helpful information can you share with us today?”
“First of all thanks for having me your show Ron.  As you know the not quite dead, or zombies as they're affectionately known, are becoming increasingly common sights around the world.  The single most important thing to remember about the not quite dead is that they are motivated by one thing, and one thing only.”
“What’s that?”
“Brains, Ron.  Fresh, chewy, delectable brains.”

The Europa Show:
“I’d like to thank MC Frontalot for coming on the show today to bare his soul with us about some prickly relationship issues.  ‘Just Once’ indeed.  But before we go, I have a surprise for each member of the audience.  Everyone, take a look under your seats.  That’s right!  You get an album!  You get an album!  EVERYONE GETS AN ALBUM!”

Alright, so maybe we at The Ripple Effect don’t yet have the power and influence to create televised pandemonium surrounding artists we like.  Notice I said ‘yet’.  Soon waveriders.  Soon.  But in the meantime, please continue reading up on the exciting new artists we’re featuring every day.  This week I’d like to focus your attention on MC Frontalot and his newest album Solved.

MC Frontalot is a hip hop artist originally from San Francisco, California, but who now resides in Brooklyn, New York.  Way back in the year 2000, this man coined the term that describes his art…Nerdcore Hip Hop.  Although there are now many other artists who create this type of music, MC Frontalot is the godfather of the genre and thus we honor him.  What is nerdcore you ask?  Simply put, nerdcore describes music that addresses nerdy subject matter such as computing, video games, comic books, movies, etc.  This music is designed to appeal to intelligent folk who don’t relate to songs about guns, drugs, and shiny car accessories (not that there’s anything wrong with that).

Solved is MC Frontalot’s fifth studio album.  Let me be direct.  This album is fantastic!  I’m talking about the kind of album where you hit play and right after the first song begins you close your eyes, ball your hands into fists, and whisper an elongated yes.  MC Frontalot has consistently improved his lyrical content as well as his song production skills from album to album (credit must go to his production cohorts Gabriel Alter aka Gm7, David T. Cheong aka Badd Spellah, and others as well), and the trend continues here on Solved.  The mixture of live instrumentation and electronic backbeats has never sounded better or more fully realized.  As for the lyrical content?  Stellar!

These are not your typical rap songs waveriders.  I enjoy every song on this album, but for brevity’s sake I’ll only highlight a couple.  “Captains Of Industry”, featuring MC Lars, details the most vital aspect of an indie rapper’s day to day existence: selling t-shirts to make up for monetary losses on music.  “Colonel, Panic” is a song told from the perspective of a self-aware supercomputer set up by the government to handle our military’s doomsday operations, which is about to quit its job and render our high-tech weapons inert.  “Invasion Of The Not Quite Dead” featuring Wheatus is the best zombie song I’ve ever heard, and I’ve heard some good ones.  Last but not least, have you ever wondered what the infighting between Voltron operators sounds like?  Of course you have!  Listen to “I’ll Form The Head” featuring ZeaLouS1 and Dr. Awkward and wonder at how this defensive force ever succeeded.

Waveriders, if it were in my power I would promote MC Frontalot on every TV channel, radio station, periodical, and interstellar transmission in existence.  As it stands however, I’m forced to rely upon what is available to me.  Check out MC Frontalot.  Buy Solved and let its humorous and intelligent nature enrich and enlighten your day.  You’re welcome.

--Penfold

Lerix- Audio Arcade

Usually the moment that and form of hip hop or rap starts playing in my ears I immediately stop listening, delete the album and pretend it never happened. I hate hip hop. I loathe rap.

Luckily for Lerix, the music was on my iPod, connected to my car whilst I was trying to navigate my way through some of the more confusing parts of the city. Making it impossible to navigate away without causing a multi-car accident.

The itch to hit skip started at the second song, "Last Laugh" and ended thirty seconds later- it was actually bearable... There was no reference to drug usage like it is a cool thing, no mentioning of sexual act with females he just met... The music seemed to haves bit of substance going on.

I continued my way through the entire album and I am really glad I did.

Audio Arcade surprised me so much I had to listen to it a few times. I listened with eagles ears for a reason to fault the music, for a reason to start hating on rap again but couldn't find it.

It sounds to me like most other music from the genre- it has a funky beat and a lot of synthesisers. The lyrics, as I said, seem to aim to tell a story, or to say an "f- you" to a certain group of people. Lerix seems to stand for something else, there is even an interlude of "Fur Elise" (my favourite classical composition). "Catch Up With Ya Later" is about a funeral, how many main stream rappers do that without snorting cocaine?

The only bone that I found to pick was the start of "Do It Right," because it sounded a little try hard- but then it is saved less than a minute into the song with a pretty good chorus.

Damn you Lerix! Now I have to go and reevaluate my uneducated opinion of this genre of music...  Audio Arcade if you do, or don't, like rap is worth listening to, even if it is just to give it a shot.

-Koala

Stream the Album
http://soundcloud.com/thabloqmusicgroup/sets/audio-arcade-e-p

Two Faces Of Gookin feat. D. Gookin and 2 Ton Bug

I stormed into the claustrophobic room and slammed my hands palm down onto the table situated in front of the suspect.

“Listen up Gookin!  I’ve had enough of your games.  Do you realize how much trouble you’re in?  Wipe that smile off your face!”
“Detective Penfold, I don’t understand you.  Only a moment ago we were having a nice, pleasant conversation.  You left the room in a jovial mood, but now you’re back and clearly upset.  Why is that?”
“Hey!  I’ll ask the questions here Gookin.  Got that?”
“Of course Detective.  Of course.  You mentioned that I was in trouble?”
“Ohhhh yeah.  Big trouble.”
“I’ve done nothing wrong Detective.”
“Hahaha.  Play dumb all you want Gookin.  We’ve got enough evidence to put you away for a long time.”
“You can’t be serious.  What’s the charge?”
“Inciting excessive happiness and good cheer among the depressed, dejected masses.”
“That’s a crime?”
“You’d better believe it mister!”
“But I’m an artist.  Cheering people up is my job.”
“Can it Gookin.  I don’t want to hear any more of your socio-emotional ranting.  It’s bad enough that I had to listen to your so-called music.”
“You listened to my music Detective Penfold?  Which album did you listen to?”
“First I listened to your own Spiral Style EP, and then I listened to Wedding Of The Century where you play drums.”
“Did you like the music?”
“Did I like the music?  You bet I did.  It was great!  I loved it!  Say, is there a way I might be able to get a hold of some of your other relea…”

“Oh you’re good Gookin.  Too good.  In fact you’re so good, you’re dangerous!  You nearly had me there for a second.  All right.  Enough talk.  I’m leaving now.  When I come back I’ll have a formal confession that you will sign whether you like it or not.  And didn’t I tell you to get that smile off your face?”

D. Gookin - Spiral Style

I admit it.  I did not think it was possible.  If I had not heard it with my own ears, I would swear on anything you had handy that it was physically and theoretically impossible to capture the properties of sunshine inside a piece of electronic music.  Preposterous!  Can’t be done!  Well waveriders, I was wrong.  Dead wrong in fact.  Allow me to introduce you to an artist by the name of D. Gookin, and his newest EP entitled Spiral Style.

The music on this EP is electronic sunshine, plain and simple.  Joyous, effervescent, celebratory electronic music.  I’m telling you the truth.  Spiral Style effuses such good cheer and glee that it feels like your birthday and Christmas morning rolled into one package.  You’ll have to excuse me folks.  I listen to so much anger-fueled music that when I hear something great that is engineered to produce happiness instead of rage or gloom it is pretty shocking.  And I’ll be completely honest.  While I am not at all adverse to purely electronic music, it’s simply not my normal go-to genre.  Thus, when I stumble across someone like D. Gookin it helps to expand my horizons and make me a better listener.

There are six songs on the Spiral Style EP.  All six are appropriately upbeat and bubbly, but I don’t want to imply that they are simple copies of one another.  Not at all.  Each song has a strong, unique melody line that makes them easily identifiable.  Another element that changes from song to song is the vocals.  While there is a limited amount of clean vocals scattered throughout the EP it often sounds as if the vocals are being pumped through a vocorder, and at other times it sounds as if they were recorded underwater.  I can’t be sure, but I would guess Mr. Gookin sometimes uses a wah pedal to manipulate the vocals as well.  Regardless, I am very impressed with how immensely the vocals add to the overall sound and musical vibe.  I suppose if I were forced to pick one I would say that “Freak On A Cloud” is my favorite song of the bunch.  It’s a close call however as there is not a slacker in the bunch. 

Alrighty then people.  It’s time to sum up.  If you are having a bad or off day and need a musical pick me up to turn your frown upside down look no further than D. Gookin’s Spiral Style EP.  One listen and you’ll be skipping along chanting ‘happy happy, joy joy’.

Listen Here- http://www.moodgadget.com/dgookin/

2 Ton Bug - Wedding Of The Century

Watch out waveriders because you’re about to be run over by a musical Mack truck coming straight out of left field!  I’m not joking folks.  I hit the play button on this album with absolutely no idea what to expect.  All I knew was that D. Gookin, whose excellent solo material made me very happy, plays drums in 2 Ton Bug, a band led by Joe Rumrill.  Wanting to prolong my happiness and expand my knowledge of Mr. Gookin’s work I dove in ears first.  Am I still happy after listening to Wedding Of The Century?  The short answer is absolutely!  A more refined answer would be yes, I’m incredibly happy, but in an entirely different manner than before.

2 Ton Bug is a direct shot of adrenaline to your brain.  Wedding Of The Century is an electro/punk/riff rock extravaganza with more energy than a collapsing star.  When the band kicked into ultra-high gear the first time it literally made me sit back in my chair.  Filthy is the adjective that most easily comes to mind when I think about this band’s sound.  They combine distorted guitars, washed-out keyboards, and overexposed drums (including a trash can) with megaphone-enhanced or strained vocals (female and male) to produce a sound that punches you right in the solarplexus. It sounds perfect!  It sounds fantastic!  I love it!

There are eight songs (all written by Mr. Rumrill) making up Wedding Of The Century.  I guarantee you won’t notice the first few times.  Nope.  Your brain will unconsciously rebel against this album ending and automatically force your finger to hit the play button and restart the ride.  It happened to me.  It will happen to you too.  But what about those songs?  Opener “Time Trabblin’” explodes with punk energy until about halfway through when it slows down to match up with a devastating guitar riff.  “Burn the Witch” has the potential to spark a combative hoe-down with its punk/country vibe.  “Tank Wipe” and “Meth Mouth” are fast and furious hardcore workouts.  “Follow the 2 Ton Bug” offers a fantastic Hendrix-like portion of “The Star Spangled Banner” before launching itself into orbit.  For crying out loud!  The only song which allows the listener to draw breath would be the slightly slower, ultra-groovy “Hurricane Lemmy”.

Waveriders I implore you.  Take the time today to head over to the 2 Ton Bug bandcamp page and listen to this album.  Do it now, thank me later.

--Penfold

Buy and Listen Here- http://2tonbug.bandcamp.com/

Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee PartTwo

Hey Waiveriders! Normally I'm not known for reviewing Hip Hop albums but hell, I'm probably the only one who is gonna review the new Beastie Boys album. I'm sure you are all asking the question, “Why the hell isn't Penfold reviewing Hot Sauce Committee Part Two?”. The answer is simple, Penfold fucking HATES those dudes. Don't get me wrong, this new Beastie Boys record is right down Penfold's alley. Musically and lyrically he would love this album. However, his hatred for the Beastie Boys overtakes any musical bliss he would receive from this record. I'm sure you are wondering why Penfold despises is them so much. My friends, this is a story that is way to long to write up about and would be better told on the Ripple Radio Show by Penfold himself. Let's just say if Penfold ever saw Mike D or any one of the Beastie Boys we would begin receiving his write ups from the local or possibly federal prison. Do you have any idea how hard it is to get digital promos to man on the inside?? It's tough! Now on to the music.

Hot Sauce Committee Part Two is one hell of a long album and the album title is just as long. We begin our journey with the the most recent single, “Make Some Noise”. These guys still have “it”. This track is tremendously entertaining. Even the video for this single is awesome. It almost seems like the older they get they better they get. I think MCA says it best in his opening lyrical spit:

“I burn the competition like a flamethrower
My rhymes age like wine as I get older
I'm getting bolder, competition is waning
I got the feeling and assume the lane”


Another stand out track is, “Too Many Rappers”, featuring one of my favorite emcees in Nas. Pretty classic sounding Beastie Boys track. Nas' flow adds a little something to this record. You can't deny losing yourself in this track and just taking it all in. This is my favorite lyrical flow:

“Cuz this the type of lyric goes inside your brain
To blow you bullshit rappers straight out the frame
My lyrics spin round like a hurricane twister
So get your hologram on off of Wolf Blitzer
Too many rappers to shake a stick at
I oughta charge a tax for every weak rap
I had to listen to, ‘cuz we be makin’ stacks
Like Stax records
My squad we gotta pack
We never coming wack”


Lastly, I'll touch on the track “Lee Majors Come Again”. This track you can really here the usage of actual drums and instruments. You can hear it on a couple of other tracks too but this is really where they stand out. In case you forgot these guys used to be in the late 80's puck scene. They used to open up for bands like, Bad Brains,The Dead Kennedys, The Misfits and hell even Reagan Youth. So, these guys really can play and don't always need to produced mix behind them. My favorite part of this song is the opening flow.

“I’m the lyrical, mathematical genius
Splashin' like lime juice
You never seen this
Internationally known
The longest to lead us
Shout out the one
How’s gonna lead us?
Hit’em with the rhyme
But the rhyme don’t stop
We got the beat
And the beat gonna drop
The beat …. Go pop
Now take a look around
And ….”


If you are a Beastie Boys fan and have yet to pick up Hot Sauce Committee Part Two, go get it! As for Penfold's story of Beastie Boys hatred, that is for another time. The story is great maybe you will be able to hear it one day....maybe.

--Cic

Buy here: Hot Sauce Committee Part 2
Buy here mp3: Hot Sauce Committee Part Two [Explicit]

Pharoahe Monch - W.A.R. (We Are Renegades)

 

I was once happy.  My life was filled with laughter and good cheer.  I had great friends, a supportive family, and work that filled me with pride.  For as long as I can remember everything went my way.  Scholarships won, opportunities presented unto me, promotions awarded.  It seemed nothing could disturb my ever-increasing level of bliss.  It never occurred to me to question why my life was progressing so well when other people, some of whom I knew, appeared to be stuck in a cycle of repression or negativity.  This all changed the day I received the message.

“July 27, 2023.  This is Lieutenant Gaviston of Bravo Command, second division, 13th brigade.  While on a recon mission in Kabul, Afghanistan I have discovered classified information that changes everything that I believe about this war.  I’m gonna upload this information of grave importance to HORUS, a military satellite which has the technology to transmit information through time.  If you are hearing this, you have been ordained or genetically predisposed to receive this information.  What you are hearing…is a warning.”

I recall the exact moment that man’s voice exploded into my mind at air-raid siren volume.  People occupying cubicles around me must have believed they were witnessing their coworker having a nervous breakdown.  When the message began I jumped out of my seat to find out whose computer or speaker system needed to be turned down or switched off.  To my astonishment, no one in my vicinity appeared bothered by the voice at all.  Everyone just kept working!  Blank stares greeted me when I frantically asked my coworkers if they could hear a man’s thunderous voice.  At this point almost everyone in the area had stopped what they were doing and were looking at me.  I emitted an audible gasp, my hands went to my temples, and I doubled over as the voice continued its mind numbing assault.

And then as quickly as its presence was felt, the message ended and the voice faded away.  In the immediate aftermath I was breathing heavily and had broken into a cold sweat.  When I became fully upright once again, my boss was standing in front of me with a deeply concerned look on her face.  She put her hand on my shoulder and asked me if I was alright.  Did she need to call for help?  Although I had been incredibly shaken I was recovering quickly so I answered that yes I was fine, and no she did not need to call emergency services.  After a few more of my reassurances she told me to take the rest of the day off.  I thanked her and promised to be back bright and early the next morning.  For reasons I can’t explain, I have never forgotten the smile she gave me at that moment.  Perhaps because it was the last nice thing I would see for some time.

Briefcase in tow, I walked to the parking garage where my car was parked.  I opened the door and fell into the driver’s seat.  My right hand put the keys in the ignition while my left hand shut the door.  As if on cue, the moment the door shut I was pinned against my seat by an enormous stream of information flooding my mind.  I couldn’t move.  It didn’t matter if I left my eyes open or closed.  Terrible images of war and devastation were all I could see.  Along with the images came hundreds, if not thousands of documents dated from the near and far future detailing the causes leading to a massive war, and the horrible aftermath left in its wake.  Never once did I question the validity of what I was being given.  I knew it was real down to the marrow of my bones.  When the stream of information finished, I was no longer the same person.  Armed with this knowledge of the future I had a new purpose in life.  The rest of my days would be dedicated towards working to avoid this future catastrophe.  From that moment on, I was a renegade!

Don’t fret waveriders.  You can be renegades too!  It’s easy.  All you have to do is pick up a copy of Pharoahe Monch’s new album, W.A.R., take a listen, and you’ll have joined the ranks.  Yes there is the infinitesimal possibility that you would choose not to follow the renegade path, but even if that is your decision I guarantee that you will still have your head severely buffeted by the gale force winds of righteousness emanating from the speakers.  This waveriders…is a special album by a special artist.  Seriously, I had to declare my mind a disaster zone after my first taste of this album blew me away!  Sadly, neither state nor local governments have replied to my requests for federal aid.  Oh well.  So who is this Pharoahe Monch, and why should you pay attention?  I’m glad you asked.

Pharoahe Monch is an upper-echelon hip hop artist who emerged onto the music scene back in 1991 as one half of the duo Organized Konfusion.  The group released three full length albums over the course of six years, and then amicably disbanded.  Mr. Monch then began releasing solo albums, beginning with his first in 1999.  W.A.R. is his third solo release.  I won’t pretend to be a longtime superfan that has followed this artist from the beginning.  That would be dishonest.  No, I’ve only been listening to Pharoahe Monch’s music since I picked up his second solo album back in 2007 upon the recommendation of a friend.  I thought that album (which is entitled Desire) was very good.  If you could not guess I am stubbornly loyal to artists whom I like, so I kept a watchful eye out for his next release.  When it finally arrived W.A.R. was, well….let me branch off on a related tangent for a moment.

I don’t know about you waveriders, but I’ve often entered into conversations/arguments with people defending the music I like.  When it comes to hip hop, it is not uncommon for my opponent to claim that anybody can rap.  It’s just someone talking after all.  Ah ah ahhh, not so fast.  While I will concede the basic premise of their point, that is when I bring out an album like W.A.R..  As with any genre of music there are a slew of mediocre wannabes, and then there are true artists.  Pharoahe Monch is a true artist.  To say that he has a distinctive lyrical flow would be doing the man a great disservice.  To listen to his wordplay and not be in awe of the fine craftsmanship on display would be downright criminal.  To not be impressed with the plethora of rhyme patterns, sometimes in the same song no less, would be like surrendering the village of Santo Poco to El Guapo without a fight!  Here’s a taste of what I’m talking about.  These are the lyrics to the song “Haile Selassie Karate”.

E pluribus unum, all seeing eye, ocular exam / The apocalypse, back by popular demand / Innocuous but still leave a stage with blood in my hand for the populous / Put a fist in the sky / "Licensed to kill" italicized into my ID or "Rocky Illuminati" / Haile Selassie Karate, John "The Beast" Mugabi / King Jaffe in the lobby with the fur made of a lion / The eye of hoarse mouths, I am vibrant / Prominent constellations of Orion / The reason why my stars are in alignment / The renegade, Allahu Akbar, rock star / Tossing homemade grenades, CD's at NYPD cop cars / Just to get the revolution to pop off Fraudulent stock, funded with Louis Vuitton knock-offs / Hijacking helicopters, detonate your metropolis / While I'm in the cockpit, politicking like Stephanopoulos / And my esophagus is quite atomic when I vomit / It's bioengineered urbanomics / The formula: truth divided by innovative ebonics / Times smooth lime, crushed ice and a splash of tonic / N**** my past lies are astronomic / Smoking hash in a cathedral with Nostradamus / At mass, discussing Martin Luther's "Free at Last" speech / Step on my British Walkers get your ass beat.

Think you could have come up with that?  I know I couldn’t.  I can’t even imitate it perfectly and I’ve listened to this song many times at this point!  Anybody can rap?  I don’t think so.

The bottom line is this.  From the word go this album does not let up.  Try to find a weak moment.  You cannot.  From the straight up aggression of tracks like “W.A.R.” or “Assassins”, to the funkiness of “Let My People Go” or “The Hitman”, to the celebratory “Still Standing”, W.A.R. has everything I’m looking for in a hip hop album.  I mean for crying out loud, “The Grand Illusion (Circa 1973)” is essentially Monch rhyming over King Crimson’s “In The Court Of The Crimson King”!  Look out all other albums on top ten lists for 2011.  Pharoahe Monch’s W.A.R. is here, and it’s a monster.

--Penfold

Buy here:  W.A.R. (We Are Renegades)