Category Archives: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Album reviews.

Muscle Memory :: Virgil Wolfe And Daroundhero Reconnect For ‘It’s Just Distance’

Posted on August 24, 2018 | Leave a comment

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Virgil Wolfe and Big Lo have been on a songwriting tear recently, so a new track from that neck of the woods is no surprise.  What makes It’s Just Distance so special is that it marks the first collaboration between Virgil Wolfe and Daroundhero in nearly a decade.  The energy between these two on the track is kinetic, and with Big Lo‘s off-kilter jazz-influenced beat as the driving force, the two emcees trade bars and hook duty as good as the cats from Project Blowed used to get down.  Tracks like these remind me of my transition from fan to artist in the early to mid-1990’s, strictly because tracks like these, tracks with so much love emanating from them, being performed by people in very similar situations to myself, let me know that the only hurdle to creative expression was a personal one.  Hopefully this collaboration between these old friends is not a one-off, and we don’t have to wait another eight years for a follow-up track.  Definitely check this one out, share it around, and leave it a like and/or comment.

-chief

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Games Played :: CHHK And Tall Kyle Drop ‘The Way She Goes’ Video

Posted on August 23, 2018 | Leave a comment

There’s no shortage of talent within the ranks of the College of Hip-Hop Knowledge (CHHK), and the collective has had no trouble proving that time and time again.  The latest creative offering from their ranks comes in the form of a new music video from Tall Kyle for The Way She Goes, a reflection on that ever present battle of attraction between men and women that ebbs and flows so drastically.  Tall Kyle uses the first verse to visually and lyrically break down how the situations play out, while the second verse is a much more reflective rumination on what could have been, what could be, and how fault ultimately lies at the feet of both parties.  The real point to be considered from everything, in my opinion, is that drive to not let things like this hold you back on your path to fulfillment.  Artistic integrity and rewards are our responsibility, and with achievement of these goals comes the confidence and notoriety that brings people closer to us (which is another examination in itself).  Props to Tall Kyle and CHHK for continuing to put out dope product.  Be sure to like, leave a comment, share the video around, and subscribe to their YouTube channel for more quality content.

-chief

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

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Renaissance Man :: Andrés Forecasts ‘Friendly Skies’

Posted on August 21, 2018 | Leave a comment

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andrés is a man of many diverse interests and styles.  When I originally got to know him, it was via his Unusuals moniker and the unique production approach he took with his albums.  Over time, I’ve gotten to know him deeper via his radio exploits with Cosmic Grooves on KZSM Radio San Marcos, his vintage clothing ventures with BORDER PALACE VINTAGE, and a recent transition into the middle ground of beatmaking and singer/songwriterdom with his work under the name andrés.  Friendly Skies is a reflection on connection, a lament about what one feels when an opportunity for intimacy presents itself, and all you want to do is make things as easy and easy-going as possible.  Bonus shoutout to me on the artwork assist, inspired by the recent admiration and respect andrés has for Missy Elliot.  andrés is certainly carving out a niche for himself that the San Marcos scene hasn’t seen since the likes of Roger Sellers, but andrés (much like Roger) is a wholly unique individual, so it should be a journey worth watching for those lucky enough to witness the growth.

-chief

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

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Clean-up Hitter :: Poolboi Blu Knocks It Out Of The Park With ‘Sincere (Volume 005)’

Posted on August 17, 2018 | Leave a comment

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sincere (volume 005) just dropped, and it’s safe to say that poolboi blu is feeling maximum levels of swagger these days.  The sincere series has been getting progressively stronger with each release, but (volume 005) is a true achievement.  The song selection flows seamlessly… the mixes are clean, concise and executed precisely… best of all, poolboi blu doubled down on the mix length, clocking in at just over 45 minutes with (volume 005).  There’s a handful of songs I really dig on this mix, as well as a few that feel like possible new favorite songs in the making.  This mix is most definitely the right way to transition out of that summer madness.

-chief

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Shock Value :: MC Homeless Expounds On ‘Dead Rappers’ With Chris Conde In New Video

Posted on August 16, 2018 | Leave a comment

There’s braggadocio, and then there’s truly being unbothered by what the common crowd is doing… I think it’s safe to say that MC Homeless falls more in the latter category.  An MC that’s never been known to do anything less than his own thing, MC Homeless recently teamed up with San Antonio-based Chris Conde to draw a clear line in the sand between the true unliving heads and those that are basically already the walking dead.  The duo gets down over a Death Woods track (plus a drone loop from Vanishing Cities) with a little visual assistance from co-director Joseph Ramirez (MC Homeless also pulled director duty), makeup and special effects by Chris Paulos, Holly Paulos and Leigh Kessel, and digital effects from David Hampton.  The track will be found on the upcoming split cassette with Brzowski, Dig Two Graves, so definitely keep your eyes and ears open for that release… I’m sure this is just a small sample of the dopeness that project holds in store.

-chief

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

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Wasted Hours :: Mad One Reflects On Time With ‘Winter Nights’ Video

Posted on August 15, 2018 | Leave a comment

Mad One and DJ Ninja are making sure that their new collaborative project Ghost Of The Record Store gets all of the attention it can (and deserves), and one of those routes is the promotional music video push they’ve unrolled.  After dropping the hard hitting Bombz video, complete with images that help reinforce the album idea, the duo has followed up with Winter Nights, a reflective and somber track glorifying an understanding of time and how all aspects of it can affect us.  Paired with Max Fleischer era animation, the bars and earworm piano sample hit that much harder in terms of relevance, making the song a gem that reminds us of the mid-1990s jazz influenced boom-bap hip-hop we could use more of these days.  If you haven’t already, go check out Ghost Of The Record Store, and be sure to give both videos a like, comment and share.

-chief

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Missed Connections :: Curbside Jones And The ‘Milk Tea Choronicles’

Posted on August 14, 2018 | Leave a comment

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Curbside Jones has already done what it takes to prove himself as one of the most creative and charismatic artists in the Austin hip-hop scene via previous releases, but he’s in the midst of making a major impact with his latest project.  A serial journey over several different EPs titled Milk Tea Chronicles, this series of songs and releases has some serious head nod factor working for it due to Curbside Jones‘s extremely mature production and highly confident lyric ability.  Installment one is a reflection on expanding your horizons and exploring the world around you, while Voicemail Blues is a reflection on our new existence in the information/communication age and how we still manage to not maximize these potential connections despite every given opportunity to do so.  For my money’s worth, it feels like Curbside Jones can do no wrong, and I’m really hoping he becomes one of the artists that can break through Austin‘s glass ceiling and make noise on a bigger level.

-chief

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Razor’s Edge :: Leather Tuscadero Collectively Unleashes ‘Smokes, s’Go!’

Posted on August 13, 2018 | Leave a comment

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There may be a greater distance between the collective members of Leather Tuscadeo these days, but that distance has not stopped them from making classic material.  Thanks to opportunities afforded by the creative think-tank known as Concuss, the members of Leather Tuscadero (producer Progeny, emcees Evolve and Barfly, and guru Rob Castro) have unleashed a beast with the hard-hitting EP Smokes, s’Go.  In just five songs, it is abundantly clear that the chemistry between the steadily attacking Evolve and the off-kilter approach of Barfly come together like Voltron over Progeny‘s boom-bap production.  The lyrical fodder is full of sharp wordplay, pop culture references and words of warning to those thinking that testing the collective is a safe move.  I definitely see this one getting repeated play and spins during my DJ sets.  Make sure to support your local creatives, wherever they may be, via likes, shares and monetary support.

-chief

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Street Wise :: T$O, Eric Dingus And Grind Life Films Connect For ‘Nevermind’

Posted on August 3, 2018 | Leave a comment

The Austin hip-hop scene, since day one, has been a diverse one.  For every backpack lyricists or abstract thinker’s rapper, you’ll find a street-wise, school of hard knocks rapper counterpart.  Recently, the homie Dominican Jay posted a video for Nevermind from Austin-based T$0, and it definitely caught my attention in terms of that street vibe.  The prolific Eric Dingus provides the production assist for the onslaught of bars, and the always on point team at Grind Life Films dropped a heavy dose of dope aesthetic touches on straightforward performance and candid footage.  There’s no need for extra flare or thrills on this one… this is hard hitting product for heads that can deal with the real.  You know the drill… likes, comments, shares and support are always welcome to our local creatives.

-chief

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Root Down :: Deano Coate Turns Travels in Guinea, West Africa To ‘Conakry’

Posted on August 1, 2018 | Leave a comment

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Deano Cote, integral member to Fort Never, NGHT HCKLRS and Blastfamous USA, is quite the accomplished musician and interesting individual in his own right.  During a recent trip to Guinea, West Africa, Cote took the opportunity to gather field recordings that sparked his interest during the journey.  Upon his return to the states, he took these elements, and combined with his own original production, Conakry was born.  The project is an embrace of rhythm, the drums, naturally soulful expression and innovative methods of bridging sonic gaps.  This one is currently on Spotify and other streaming services, so I’d definitely suggest doing yourself a favor and checking it out if you’re looking for something new and eye-opening.

-chief

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