Category Archives: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Album reviews.

Prime Time :: From Left Field Podcast And Friends Talk ‘MacGruber’

Posted on November 5, 2019 | Leave a comment

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Joining a podcast full of hilarious people is always a blast, and when it’s the From Left Field crew of Wendy Simmons, JJ Summers and Morgan Davis, it’s always good for a laugh or two, as well as the occasional bit of thought-provoking conversation or trivia.  This time around, I joined the crew along with special guest and director Stefan Gill, and with the season’s theme being Saturday Night Live and its lineage of films, everyone sat down to talk MacGruber (a personal favorite of mine).  The topics came fast and furious, so check it out and have yourself a good old time.

-chief

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Looking Back :: Acclimated Assassin Revisits A Bygone Era On ‘Restoration’ LP

Posted on November 4, 2019 | Leave a comment

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Hip-hop is known for the cycles that it goes through, and how it folds back in on itself to create fresh sounds out of new-sounding elements that are deeply rooted in its own past.  That being said, with 808s making the resurgence they have as of lately, it only makes sense that the boom-bap era is due its time in the sun near future.  Acclimated Assassin, and Austin-based hip-hop producer (by way of Maine), seems to be in that same mindset, as Restoration finds him putting an updated and personal spin on familiar drums and stabs that made the boom-bap era such a prolific one.  The result is a handful of tracks that you wish you’d heard Black Moon, O.C., Casual, or any name from the absurdly long list of monolithic MCs that emerged from the early to mid-1990s rap on.  Definitely check this one out asap, spread it around for others to dig in to, and cop it if you have a few bucks.

-chief

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Self Medication :: The Vapor Caves Encourage The Masses To ‘Feel Yourself’

Posted on October 31, 2019 | Leave a comment

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It’s been a bit since I anticipated a local release on the level of a major label release, but when I recently determined that The Vapor Caves had their debut project, Feel Yourself, up on iTunes and ready for pre-order, I went all in on that purchase.  After a handful of clever and unique promotional campaigns for their leading singles, it was pretty much a given that I was going to purchase this project, and my first few listens have been incredibly rewarding.  BoomBaptist and Yadira Brown are almost certainly guaranteed to make some noise with this project, so I recommend getting in on the ground floor for this one.  Check them out on your favorite streaming service, or purchase the limited edition vinyl via the Bandcamp link above.  Whatever you do, though, don’t sleep on The Vapor Caves.

-chief

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Mood Music :: Curbside Jones Breaks New Sonic Ground With ‘Kwamé Vol. 01’

Posted on October 29, 2019 | Leave a comment

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I’ll let Curbside Jones break this one down :

“Kwamé Vol.01 is a compilation of moods that I’ve been going through expressed through house music.  I grew tired of creating the same style of music and decided to branch out and find myself again in a new lane.  Each song represents conversations I’ve had with others and myself; themes of love, appreciation, doubt, miscommunication, self-care, and solitude.”

I’m definitely feeling that, and I know you will too.  Check out the new project, share it around so others can do the same, and cop it if you have a few extra bucks.

-chief

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Fanning Flames :: Feral The Earthworm Unleashes ‘Dumpster Fire’ On The Internet

Posted on October 28, 2019 | Leave a comment

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After a flurry of solid music video releases, Feral the Earthworm has released his latest full-length project, Dumpster Fire.  If you’ve visited this blog in the last two weeks, you’ve already heard me talk about how dope Feral the Earthworm is, so your best bet at this point is to jump on your favorite streaming or download service and dive in to this one.  Do it.  Like… right now.

-chief

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Galaxy Brain :: Mirage The GR8 Mixes Mediums With Latest Video For ‘THE GR8’

Posted on October 25, 2019 | Leave a comment

Working over the past year and change with Mirage The GR8 has been both rewarding and educational.  After collaborating with him on editing duties for The Amelioration Collection, we decided to collaborate again on a series of videos with different inspiration sources and criteria from project to project.  For THE GR8, the concept was a simple one, but one that we’d seen work before : sync up a cartoon series to Mirage‘s raps, a la Ghostface Killah‘s underground classic video for Daytona 500.  In all honesty, I couldn’t be happier with the finished product as an editor, and it seems that Mirage was equally satisfied with the finish product.  Check it out, leave a like and a comment if you dig it, and share it around for others to do the same!

-chief

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Posted in Audio-Visuals, Chief News, General Information, ShuffleCast, Spotlight, The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, Underground Me Now

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Massive Output :: Bjørn Vådër Keeps The Good Tunes Coming

Posted on October 16, 2019 | Leave a comment

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If I wanted to, I could probably dedicate my entire blog to the prolific amount of output that Bjørn Vådër blesses us with.  His latest project may be Tolstory the Crater, but my man puts out new music on an almost daily basis, until he has enough to gather into a collection.  This post will hopefully serve as an introductory point for listeners to dive into the lush, textured and ethereal world of sound that Bjørn Vådër creates… maybe if I play my cards right, we can get some collaborative work going.

-chief

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Staying Afloat :: Anthony Maintain Shows Out On ‘Plugging Holes In The Same Leaky Boat’

Posted on October 10, 2019 | Leave a comment

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This is one of those moments where the anticipation pays off.. where the wait was well worth it.. Anthony Maintain has been teasing the release of Plugging Holes In The Same Leaky Boat for quite a while now, debuting bits and pieces in live sets prior to moving from the Austin area back to the East Coast.  Everyone who’d heard the tastes provided, however, knew that when the project dropped, it was going to drop like a ton of bricks, and Anthony Maintain has proven me correct.  This album is a sonic journey through moody soundscapes and thought-provoking wordplay, plus there are a handful of special contributors on the project (one of which you may recognize).  Check this one out at the link above, or on your favorite streaming service, and encourage others to do the same!

-chief

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Raw Deluxe :: Big Jaw Drop Video For ‘Mess Around’

Posted on October 8, 2019 | Leave a comment

When it comes to music, live or otherwise, nothing hits home quite like a solid and heartfelt rock band.  It appears that the Austin-base rock band Big Jaw is well aware of this fact, as their latest single and video, Mess Around, is a no-nonsense, direct attack on the senses courtesy of lead singer/guitarist Clint Roth, bassist Ishaq Clayton, and drummer Marty Mack.  The video flips between psychedelic pinwheels of the band members and a performance space session, but the pure energy and joy the band members exude radiates off the screen in waves.  This one is a banger for sure, so check it out, leave a like and a comment on the video, and share it around so others can enjoy!

-chief

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Staying Afloat :: Anthony Maintain Releases ‘Moonshine On A Blemished Mind’ Single

Posted on September 25, 2019 | Leave a comment

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It’s been years in the making, but the homie Anthony Maintain is a couple of weeks away from potentially blowing minds with his upcoming project Plugging Holes in the Same Leaky Boat.  In anticipation of this mind-blowing event, he and BRZOWSKI have released the lead single, Moonshine on a Blemished Mind, an oddly well-executed balance of darkness and high energy that echoes the confusion of being pushed through life at a breakneck speed while trying to comprehend and take in all that surrounds you.  I’m very much looking forward to the release of this project, and not just because there’s a guest verse on it from myself… I know what quality Anthony Maintain is capable of, and I’m certainly ready for him to unleash it on the masses.

-chief

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