To the Beat

K'Naan: The Hip Hop Emperor Has No Clothes (and free download)

2009-01-06T10:01:00.005-05:00

A few years ago, I was visiting Delaney Flushboy in Sweden and went to see Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley in Copenhagen. It was a great show, but the highlight was the scrawny, high-voiced rapper who opened. K'naan played a drum as he rapped, his full band locking in the groove with a combination of hip-hop, afro-beat, and straight up rock 'n' roll. When I returned home, I couldn't believe there was almost no mention of K'Naan's album, The Dusty Foot Philosopher, here in the U.S. Don't get me started on America's refusal to acknowledge incredible hip hop from Senegal to Toronto to Sweden.

Today, K'Naan's about to release his second CD, Troubadour, and he's getting the hype he deserves. K' Naan lives in Toronto, but he grew up in Somalia. His rhymes paint vivid and gruesome pictures and perhaps the most chaotic country on earth. And he regularly takes American Hip Hop to task for talking tough and violent when the meanest streets of L.A. are nothing compared to Mogadishu. Listen to "What's Hardcore".

NPR's Morning Edition aired a great story about K'Naan and his new album this morning. The best quote is when, talking about American MCs' frontin' and gangsta talk, he says, "in Somalia, we think it's kinda cute."

You'll hear plenty of this album in the coming months on The Beat Authority. But get a head start...thanks to NPR, you can download one track here. Best of all, you can see K'Naan for yourself: he's playing at the University of Ottawa on January 30th.

51 more to go!

2009-01-02T17:09:00.002-05:00

The first Beat Authority of 2009 is in the books. I give thanks that I get to play incredible music to people who actually want to listen every week. Here's to 2009! Feliz ano nuevo!

Bonus!

2008-12-26T17:29:00.002-05:00

It was fun to do a special, two-hour long Beat Authority today. Props to Jonathan Brown and the news dept. for giving All Before Five a "puente" holiday.

A sad note: Purrrrfectly amazing jazz singer and former Catwoman, Eartha Kitt, died yesterday. She was a childhood institution for Delaney Flush and I both, so expect more blogging on this. Que en paz descanse, Sra. Kitt.

N.B. - She died exactly two years and a day after Mr. Please Please.

What a Pit!

2008-12-22T09:44:00.002-05:00

A shout-out to regular listener, Chris Morris in Saranac Lake, for blogging the Beat Authority on Friday. Check out his blog, the Daily Pit.

El Ritmo Nevado: playlist for 12/19/08

2008-12-19T17:17:00.003-05:00

As a snowstorm falls that would make Buffalo proud, here's today's playlist. Que tengan fin de semana buenisimo. And be sure to get the free MP3 from El Guincho's band as pointed out by Delaney Flush...

Cosa Catalán

2008-12-19T09:01:00.004-05:00

Frequent listeners to the Beat Authority know that there's a fantastic music scene in Barcelona. Musicians from all over Europe, Africa, and Latin America have been making their way to Barcelona over the past decade and forming a scene that bubbles with ideas from all around the world. A relatively new sound to show up there combines the hypnotic sound collages of Animal Collective with the rhythms and melodies of musica latina. Pablo Díaz-Reixa, also known as El Guincho, is one of the musicians playing this sound. His band Coconot released a new album named Cosa Astral in November. You can download the song "Conservad El Rayo" from BCore, Coconot's record label.

CORRECTION: It seems that the mp3 link on BCore's website is actually a stream, not a downloadable file. Sorry about that. I'll make it up to y'all, promise. I'll find the coolest mp3 in the galaxy and post a link to it.

Beat Authority Top Ten of 2008: The Lists

2008-12-12T16:48:00.003-05:00

Thanks to Delaney Flushboy for his list, and thanks to all the listeners/blog readers for sending in your faves, too. Some of those are here.

You can still get your two cents in by posting a comment with your best music of 2008. Oh, and here's today's playlist.

David's Top Ten (links and commentary to follow):

Pimps of Joytime - High Steppin'
Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple
Nortec Collective's Bostich & Fussible - Tijuana Sound Machine
Toumast - Ishumar
Fort Knox Five - Radio Free DC
Ghislain Poirier - No Ground Under
Alla - Es Tiempo
Grupo Fantasma - Sonidos Gold
Firewater - The Golden Hour
J-Live - Then What Happened?

Honorable Mention:

Eli "Paperboy" Reed - Roll With You
Atmosphere - When Life Gives You Lemons You Paint That S*** Gold

Lost at the end of 2007:

The Dynamics - Version Excursions

Best Compilations:

Jump Back: Imitations, Interpolations & the Inspiration of James Brown
I Like It Like That: Fania Remixed Putumayo's Latin Reggae

Now, from listeners...

Chris of Elizabethtown's Top Five Hip-Hop Albums for 2008:
1.) Kids in the Hall, "The In Crowd"
2.) Young JeeZy, "The Recession"
3.) Wu-Tang Clan, "8 Diagrams" (actually released in December 2007)
4.) Styles P, "Phantom Gangster Chonicles -- Vol. 1"
5.) Atmosphere, "When Life Gives You Lemons, You Pain That Shit Gold"

From Derek in Potsdam...
The Supreme Genius of King Khan and the Shrines, by King Khan and the Shrines
Plena el Salsero by Plena Libre
Dub Qawwali by Gaudi and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
And, ohhhhhhhhhh, Grupo Fantasma. Saw them in Ottawa and, ohhhhhhhhh god.

From Dawn in Key West...
Michael Franti & Spearhead, All Rebel Rockers

From Kirsten in Burlington...
Santogold, Santogold.

Favorite songs from John in Westford, VT...
The Pinker Tones - Working Bees
She & Him - Why do you let me stay here
Sober Driver - Dengue Fever
Kuf Knotz and the Hustle - Run Wit Me
Nortec Collective - Brown Bike
Bajofondo - Pa' Bailar
I also really like the DJ Z-Trip Obama mix tape. It is not a radio edit (the intro) but it is really good to play loudly!

Flushboy's Top Ten

2008-12-12T14:52:00.005-05:00

10: London Zoo by The Bug Dark and spooky dubstep from London. Dance to it, bug out to it, or put on headphones and listen closely -- the choice is yours.

9. Parc Avenue by Plants and Animals Not so far from The North Country, these guys are like from Montreal. I'd call them an indie jam-band -- if you didn't know any better you'd swear that Trey Anastasio was playing guitar on their song "Mercy". They also wrote the fantastic lyric "Sainte Jean Baptiste is gonna eat us all alive." They make my list because of that alone.

8. Where You Go I Go Too by Lindstrøm Gotta give give some love to my Scandi brethren. Lindstrøm is a Norwegian DJ/musician/producer. This album is a space-disco odyssey, kind of like a house Dark Star. It could've easily been crap, but Lindstrøm knows what he's doing so it's actually very, very good.

7. Gost Rock by Nomo New directions in afro-beat from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Who wouldv'e thunk it?

6. Saint Dymphna by Gang Gang Dance Freaky electro-tribal-disco. Or something like that. Gang Gang Dance is definitely on a trip of their own. It takes a while to join them on their trip, but it's worth the effort.

5. Dear Science by TV On The Radio My friend Damali, who also lives here in Malmö, is friends with the guys in TV On The Radio. He told me that they've been influenced by the band Antibalas lately and that their plan for this album was to hide afro-beat rhythms in rock songs. It works well.

4. Les Chinoiseries by Onra Last year, the French DJ Onra traveled to his parents' homeland, Vietnam. While there he loaded up on vinyl which he hauled back to Paris and used as the basis for this album of hip-hop instrumentals.

3. Visiter by The Dodos Freaky folk with some great rhythms, catchy melodies, and blistering jams. The Dodos take folk instrumentation to some pretty funky places.

2. Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend This was the album of the year for me until The Very Best came out. Simple and fun, these songs are well-crafted and the afro-pop roots that they draw on seem to be the musical trend of the year.

1. Esau Mwamwaya and Radioclit Are The Very Best by The Very Best This album is just so right for me on so many levels. I love that it's being distributed as a free download, a teaser for a future album that they'll sell. I love that it's funky yet melodic, unusual yet familiar, underground yet accessible. I love that it's a return to the DIY, two-turntables-and-a-microphone (or a laptop with pro-tools and a microphone) roots of hip-hop. Most importantly, I love the music. And I mentioned that you can get this for free, right?

Top Ten Jumpstart: a lexicographical approach

2008-12-11T17:43:00.008-05:00

David and I will post our top ten albums of 2008 list tomorrow, but I'll offer a sneak peak today by announcing that Vampire Weekend's album is on my list (won't say exactly where...)

One of the things that I love about Vampire Weekend are the obscure references that they tuck into their lyrics. I've learned a thing or two by listening to VW. So here's a brief dictionary of some of Vampire Weekend arcana to celebrate the whitest band on Earth and one of the best bands of 2008.
______________

Crowther, Jackson (b. 1976) A right handed pitcher who played for the Expos' farm system from 1999 to 2001 and for the New Jersey Jackals (in the independent Northeast League) from 2003-2004. He has a career ERA of 4.33 over 305.2 innings pitched and a record of 18-16, not to mention 230 Ks.

Dharamsala The town in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh where the Tibetan government in exile sits and where the Dalai Lama lives.

Gabriel, Peter (b. 1950) British singer and flautist who has sung about Heracleum mantegazziani, restrictions on humanoid height, and urban ovine repose.

Hyannisport, Provincetown, and Wellfleet Towns on Cape Cod.

Keffiyeh A traditional headdress worn by Arab men. The black-and-white keffiyeh is a Palestinian national symbol.

Kefir A yogurt-like fermented milk drink originally from the Caucasus region.

Kwassa kwassa A dance from Congo that was popular in the late '80s. The name is thought to come from the French quoi ça? which means "what is it?"

Mansard roof A roof with two slopes on all sides, the lower slope steeper than the higher one. Like this. Popularized by the french architect François Mansart (1598-1666).

Oxford Comma Also known as the serial comma, it's the controversial comma that comes before the word "and" in lists: e.g. reggae, disco, funk, and bluegrass. Many Brits leave it off while Americans tend to use it.

Soda Pop

2008-12-10T15:26:00.008-05:00

Since the football map was such a hit, I thought that I'd follow it up with this gem: a map showing the word that people in different parts of the US use to refer to carbonated beverages in general. The big three are pop, soda, and coke. I was born and raised in pop-territory and was shattered as an adult when I moved deep into soda-territory. It just felt so wrong, so filthy. I still can't get used to the folks down south who call all carbonated beverages "coke". How is that possible. The most shocking thing on this map, to me, is that Milwaukee is soda-territory. And I'd like to know more about these "other" names. What do they say up in Lake-of-the-Woods Minnesota? And why just there?

What's Happenin', CC?

2008-12-10T10:44:00.002-05:00

It's impossible not to play and think about Parliament's song, "Chocolate City", these days. As P-E Obama goes about filling in his cabinet, for the record, here's the Administration laid out by George "The Funk" Clinton in 1975:

President Mohammed Ali
Right Reverend Dr. Frederick J. Eikerenkoetter II, Secretary of the Treasury
Richard Pryor, Minister of Education
Stevie Wonder, Secretary of Fine Arts
Aretha Franklin, The First Lady

Anyway, here's a great 1998 article in the Washington Post that lays out the cultural history of one funky song.

Get in your top picks of 2008

2008-12-10T09:38:00.002-05:00

Friday, Delaney Flushboy and I will play our top ten picks of the year, the best music of 2008, Beat Authority style. A few of you have sent me your faves, or added them to the comments section. Send yours in to me before Friday and I'll mention it on the air.

Josh Davis over in Malone sent me his top ten, so here it is...

Gnarls Barkley-The Odd Couple
Beck-Modern Guilt
Hot Chip-Made in the Dark
Jack Johnson-Sleep Through the Static
The Roots-Rising Down
Q-Tip-The Rennaisance
Kanye West-808 & Heartbreak
Madvillian- Madvilliany II
Fort Knox Five-Radio Free DC
DJ Spooky- Sound Unbound
*Honorable Mention- TV on the Radio- Dear Science
*Compilations of 08 I dig:
The Smiths-Sound of the Smiths
The Chemical Brothers- Brotherhood
A Tribe Called Quest- Best Of

Yeah, now that's a good list! Thanks, Josh!

Free MP3: Make Way for the S-O-V!

2008-12-09T11:46:00.002-05:00

Lady Sovereign is sometimes called the female British Eminem. She's white in the UK's largely black Grime scene. I like her because she's short, like me, spunky, and has a great sense of humor in her rhymes. She's giving away her new single for free. Check it here.

Music Heals

2008-12-08T11:45:00.002-05:00

First, there was the guy who travelled the world dancing that corny jig that my daughter loves. Now, a doc about people playing peaceful tunes around the world. All great stuff. Hip tip to Martha!

Best of 2008 Open Thread (today's playlist added)

2008-12-05T14:42:00.003-05:00

Delaney Flush and I will come in with our top 10 of 2008 lists next week. What's the record you just haven't been able to stop listening to this year? Listener Scott A. posted Sonny Rollins' new live album and Dylan's Telltale Signs.

How about you? Tell us in the comment section...

And here's today's playlist.

The Very Best

2008-12-05T10:24:00.003-05:00

It takes cojones to name your band "The Very Best". You're going out on a limb because, after all, there's a very, very good chance that you are, unfortunately, not the very best. After all there's only one very best, right? That very best might actually be Esau Mwamwaya who, as it turns out, sings in a band named "The Very Best".

Maybe you're skeptical? You may ask yourself, "just who is this Malawian with the sweet name? How dare he claim to be the very best? I've never even heard of him -- what proof do I have that he's the very best? How do I know even what he sounds like?" Aha. I'm glad you asked. You see, you'll find all the proof that you need at this link. It's kind of like the the golden ticket to Esau Mwamwaya's chocolate factory. Click on the link – here it is again – and you'll be able to download their entire album. Oh yes, you read that right, whole album, not just one song. For free. Go ahead, try it. You'll like it. Check out track three, Tengazako, the very best reconstruction of Paper Planes you'll ever hear. Or the very best version Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa with Vampire Weekend playing very best backup band. Not only that, you'll get Michael Jackson. Specifically, his orcaphilic anthem from Free Willy, "Will You Be There". How often do you get that? That's what I thought.

Will he get the girl?

2008-12-04T11:19:00.002-05:00

Break dancing and Michael Jackson are in in Argentina. Hat tip to John in VT for this fun video from Bajofondo.

Is L.A. listening to the BA?

2008-12-02T13:31:00.003-05:00

KCRW - the huge public radio station in Los Angeles - is a guiding tastemaker for all non-traditional (pop) music in this country, in no small part because it has the ear of Hollywood. It's flagship program, Morning Becomes Eclectic, has been hosted by wizened Brit Nick Harcourt for a decade. Harcourt's also been KCRW's music director.

I went to listen online this morning while doing some filing, and - hombre! - Nick's out, replaced as music director and host of MBE by Jason Bentley, who DJ-ed an evenign show on the station. I'm listening to his first show right now and some mellow indy rock is on. His on-air sound is much more polite than Harcourt's edgy, brusque delivery.

But Bentley told Variety magazine, the future of MBE could sound a whole lot more like the Beat Authority (well, except the classical)...

A self-penned checklist already exists for Bentley's transition from his evening, beat-driven "Metropolis" show. Learn more about Latin alternative. Find ways to incorporate more jazz and classical. Reduce the amount of music played that's months away from a release date. Offer a newly defined vision of world music. First act to book: Femi Kuti.

He's even playing Novalima right now (on Jacob Edgar's Charlotte, VT-based Cumbancha records), which we started playing weeks ago! Thanks for listening, Jason ! (Yeah, right.)

PS - If you haven't watched MBE's video in-studio performances before, you're missing out.

Generation Gap?

2008-12-01T09:51:00.002-05:00

Here's a guest post from listener John Doty of Westford, VT. I'd love to get more guest posts from listeners...if you'd like to submit one, e-mail me at david-at-ncpr-dot-org...

I like to think that I have a pretty broad taste in music. I will listen to just about anything with a few notable exceptions. Before I had kids and even after I had kids, but before they had developed that nasty trait of “Dad likes it so it can’t be good”, I had free run of the radio and the CD’s in the stereo. After a little while we got infected with “kid music” and listened to that over and over again. Luckily for my wife and me, that period passed rather quickly. But now, the girls have developed their own taste in music, influenced by their friends. Don’t get me wrong, I my like kids to have opinions about what they think is good and what they think is bad. The only problem is when their opinions clash with mine.

Now I know that kids are genetically programmed to not like things their parents like – I grew up listening to Punk and heavy metal while my mother liked to listen to Classical music, play it on the piano and sing in church. So I expected to have issues with my kids as they grew up and developed their musical tastes. What I don’t really understand is although I like rap and dance music (I do listen to the Beat Authority every chance I get), I don’t really like the “dance” music that is played on the local dance music station. I think one of the problems I have is that when a commercial radio station plays a song, I don’t like it and may not listen to it but when it is played on a non-commercial station (NCPR, local college radio etc.) I will have patience and listen to it and accept it as something the DJ likes therefore it can’t be all that bad. For example when Kanye West’s song “Stronger” came out I didn’t like it (or even listen to it) when it was on the local station but when David played it on “The Beat Authority”, I gave it a listen and decided it wasn’t too bad after all.

Now why does that happen?

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On a different note, I dragged out my LP copy of Big Audio Dynamite’s “No. 10 Upping Street” the other day and put it on the turn table. I hadn’t heard that in a long time it is now getting some heavy rotation on the iPod thanks to the magic in Diamond Cut Audio’s DC6 Audio Restoration Software (www.diamondcut.com). Up next for restoration and download to my iPod is a well worn copy of “Three Feet High and Rising” by De La Sol.

Beat Authority playlist: 11/28/08

2008-11-28T17:31:00.001-05:00

Drop it.

Free MP3: Matisyahu

2008-11-28T09:55:00.002-05:00

Props to John in VT... He pointed out that Matisyahu, the Hasidic reggae rapper, has a new single out, and it's available for free over at XPN. Mr. 'Yahu is playing in Burlington at the Higher Ground on Decenber 18th. But he might get overshadowed by opening act, K'Naan, a Somali-American rapper who I saw in Copenhagen a few years ago, and he rocks it.

Beat Authority playlist: 11/21/08

2008-11-21T16:55:00.001-05:00

There. Now get you some corned beef.

Best CD of 2008?

2008-11-21T14:45:00.002-05:00

Sorry it's been a light week for blog posts. It IS nearing the end of November, NPR's gathering up votes for its listener list of best CDs of 2008. So what moved you most this year? The CD you just couldn't take out of the player, the MP3 that ended up on every playlist? Submit your favorite record of 2008 in the comments section of this post. Thanks!

Networking

2008-11-17T10:09:00.002-05:00

Beat Authority fan and music writer Josh Davis of Malone has started his own blog. The latest entry points us to a sweet remix of M.I.A.'s ubiquitous "Paper Planes" hit. Welcome Josh!

Beat Authority playlist: 11/14/08

2008-11-14T16:58:00.003-05:00

A la fuerza! Oh, as promised, here's the free MP3 of young British soul singer Alice Russell's new single. It's hot. And props to Six Degrees' blog, Global Noize.