Back in June, the Chillhouse collective decided to throw one of their famous BBQs with a focus on stand-up comedy. The event was a blast, and many funny people (including myself) got up to do sets. Stand-up was one of my first loves, but I have not performed it as much as I would like, so it was nice to get an opportunity, no matter how shaky my set may be. That being said, there are quite a few funny people and funny moments above, so dig in!
-chief
Posted in Chief News, General Information, ShuffleCast, Spotlight
Tagged bbq, chief, chillhouse, comedy, the doomsday device
Many months ago, an OVRLD hosted show was my introduction to the duo NGHT HCKLRS, and I was instantly impressed. I only DJ’d that night, so they had no idea what I did lyrically, but I knew immediately that I wanted to collaborate with these guys. I kept in touch with them over time, and last week, they hit me up with some tracks and an opportunity to perform with them at Kick Butt Coffee in Austin. Needless to say, I jumped on the opportunity. Above is the live video of that portion of the show, and hopefully it is the beginning of what can be a powerful collaborative project. Stay tuned, I will certainly keep you in the loop with any possible developments. Enjoy this for now, like it, and share it, and maybe we’ll see more of this in the future.
-chief
There are not many forces of nature comparable to my main man Notes Floats. Dude is a one man army on the beats and rhymes, and lately, he’s been pushing things forward with the music videos as well. His latest creation, Lightning Butter, is an announcement for the upcoming EP of the same name, and it’s funky like you’d expect a Notes Floats track to be. His music video approach works well with the tracks, and Lightning Butter is no exception.. simple, but efficient, and relevant to what he’s spitting. Dope as always, so check it out, like it and share it.
-chief
The Exploded Drawing family has done nothing but wonderful things for Austin since appearing on the scene. The same goes with JuiceLand. When the two entities combined a few years back to create Exploded Records at JuiceLand, it was a culmination of wonderful that seemed like it would be a peak. Yet, somehow, the combined efforts has continued to grow and become greater than the sum of its parts, exploring all new realms. One of these realms has been the online radio/podcast market. With the constant influx of guests to Exploded Drawing and Exploded Records in-store performances, it’s no wonder that JuiceLand Music was born as a part library, part showcase for the wealth of talent associated with these ventures. The channel is 19 shows deep, and it’s all quality material. Do yourself a favor and take a deep dive.
-chief
At this point, I don’t know much about AMEA, other than that I need to know more. I unfortunately cannot remember how I stumbled across the video for VayCay, but I am very glad that I did, because the video is truly inspiring. Not only is it a strong song with a wonderfully produced video to back it up, the video includes a strong narrative that tells a concurrent story with the song, culminating in a moving experience for the listener/viewer. The amount of high quality music video work I am seeing that comes out of the central Texas area is truly amazing. As for AMEA, she seems to be on the rise, so I will definitely keep watch for more from her.
-chief
Posted in Audio-Visuals, General Information, Spotlight, Underground Me Now
Tagged AMEA, chief, san antonio, the doomsday device, vaycay
Of all the Austin-based MCs and producers, you’d be hard-pressed to find one with the drive, vision and longevity of Tee-Double. Of the many hats he wears (cultural diplomat, business educator, creative advocate), the man still finds time to produce, write and engineer his own albums, adding to his vast catalog. Bless The Child E.P. finds Tee-Double really learning the limits of his studio, the newly crowned Teetopia. Breakbeat exploration is still used, but Tee has been throwing more and more live musical elements into his production, giving this album the sound and feel of a funk-band’s back-up. Add the natural dosage of lyrics about being hip to the business side of the game, the journey from where he came to where he’s arrived, and the inspirational messages he gives to listeners (artists and casual fans), this E.P. is shaping up to be one of the more important releases of 2017. Cheers to you, sir, and keep doing what you’re doing.
-chief
San Marcos icon Furly Travis has always been a creative spirit. His music pushes all kinds of creative boundaries, his painting style has a deceptive depth to it that is not always obvious upon first viewing, and there has always been an experimental film director budding within him. Recent creative stints with indie director Jeffrey Garcia seemed to have stoked those flames within Furly, and The Failed Artist is the first of many flames to catch fire. The short film is a David Lynch-esque view into the search for inspiration, and even with its amplified narrative, them film is very easy to relate to on a gut level. If this is the first of what are hopefully many creative endeavors, I am curious as to what the future holds in store.
-chief
Austin-based super-ensemble Mama K & The Shades are shaping up for an extremely successful 2017. After the late 2016 release of their debut LP Honey Made, the collective has released a stunning animated video for the single Midnight Train. Mixing line drawn animation with color-filtered footage of 50s America, the video is a wonderful journey of visual stimulation and juxtaposed footage of a past reality. Real, yet surreal. Here’s to big adventures and a successful journey for Mama K & The Shades.
-chief
The Teeta has been on a creative tear the last few months or so. It seems like there’s always a new song or video dropping, and yet, each of these projects seems as if it’s had proper incubation time. One of the latest presentations, the music video Afterlife, is a track with a cloud-rap type approach, and a visual element reminiscent of the late 1970s/early 1980s aesthetic that independent filmmakers and those in the wake of the New York Factory Scene became famous for. The project grabs your attention and holds it for a few minutes without stressing a sense of immediacy or urgency, a testament to the assured approach of director Jesse Rodriguez. I have definitely enjoyed the variety of creativity coming from The Teeta, and I am curious to see where this journey continues to lead all of us.
-chief
Nothing hits me harder than a well executed concept album. I’m a casual fan just like anyone else… I dig it when production is going hard and lyrics are clever. There’s something special, however, about an artist who can take an idea, explore it thoroughly from song to song, and yet have each song be its own entity. I believe that Curbside Jones has dropped a concept album for the ages with his latest release, Wolves’ Clothing. A very original take on the ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ concept, Curbside Jones gets extremely personal by using the analogy of the timid sheep ‘wearing’ the persona of the wolf. The smart part is how the analogy is direct, and yet open ended and easy to apply to other concepts, not just the literal imagery being set forth. Add in some of the hands down dopest cover art I’ve seen in ages, and it seems like we’re dealing with something that will more than likely make many best of lists at the end of the year. I’d be surprised if it doesn’t make mine.
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Chief and TheDoomsdayDevice 