I haven’t listened to DJ Shadow’s The Outsider enough to form any sort of opinion on it. It’s not that I don’t own it, because I do. It’s sitting here, kinda staring at me. If I’m honest with myself, I’d say some of the lukewarm reviews have me a little tentative to dig in. There seem to be two distinct camps of Shadow fans: those pining for another Endtroducing and those embracing his exploration of the Bay’s hyphy scene. I’m somewhere in the middle. For now.
Regardless, the ever-resourceful Sole Sides let us know recently that a few different versions of The Outsider exist, and there are some tracks that aren’t on every album. Not to worry, because they’ve provided three of ‘em for download. I especially like Triplicate Part 3, a cut soaked in classic Shadow style, meandering in piano and horn loops. It’s easy to picture this track as part of a score to a motion picture.
DJ Shadow | Triplicate Part 3
DJ Shadow feat. The Team | Purple Grapes
DJ Shadow feat. The Heliocentrics | Skullf*ckery
James Eric Laczkowski, like MOKB, is a fan of covers. MOKB can’t play them, but James Eric Laczkowski can. For performances and marketing he drops the “Laczkowski” for obvious reasons.
James Eric - SexyBack (Justin Timberlake cover)
James Eric - Two Headed Boy (Neutral Milk Hotel cover)
James Eric - We Live Again (Beck cover)
James Eric - Waiting For Superman (Flaming Lips cover)
James Eric - Sea Of Teeth (Sparklehorse cover)
James Eric - Untitled #1 (Sigur Ros cover)
James Eric - Less Than You Think (Wilco cover)
James Eric - Nobody’s Fault But My Own (Beck cover)
James Eric - Morning Theft (Jeff Buckley cover)
photo credit: john vanderlslice
While dropping Eric Bachman’s name in this earier post I later realized I had yet to feature anything concerning Bachman’s own 2006 release on here. For shame, as To The Races more than deserves it’s own ink on the Drunkard. Recorded solo, in a hotel in North Carlolina’s Outer Banks, To The Races capitalizes on the self-sanctioned isolation Bachman imposed on himself during the writing phase oft the album while living out of his car in the pacific northwest in the summer of ‘05. Those only familiar with his work with Crooked Fingers and Archers of Loaf should find this solo release an interesting 180 change in direction. Bachman’s sparse and acoustic arrangements work perfectly here.
Some tips for anyone planning to dress up for Hallowe’en as Craig Finn of The Hold Steady - get a bowling shirt, a pair of glasses with thick, black plastic frames, drink as much as you sweat and lead your band through a seriously ass-kicking show at the Horseshoe this past Saturday night.
Continue reading "If She Said We Partied Then I’m Pretty Sure We Partied"
No matter what my favorite album of this year ends up being – and I’ve got a couple in mind (isn’t the suspense killing you?) – it probably won’t hold a candle to last year’s top pick: Alligator by the National. It’s an album I’m still absorbing and poking around, checking out its nooks and crannies and trying to make sense of the lyrics.
Continue reading "The National: “Warm Singing Whores”"
Strange vibe at the Horseshoe on Tuesday night. The regular Nu-Music Nite was usurped by a NxNE promotion that saw the club slathered with Grolsch beer advertising, muzak Stevie Wonder on the speakers and a decidedly rock-ready crowd eager to take in a free show from Montreal’s Bionic and Philladelphia/LA’s Burning Brides - rather odd company for Vancouver popsters The Awkward Stage.
Continue reading "I Love You, Hipster Darling"
I haven’t listened to DJ Shadow’s The Outsider enough to form any sort of opinion on it. It’s not that I don’t own it, because I do. It’s sitting here, kinda staring at me. If I’m honest with myself, I’d say some of the lukewarm reviews have me a little tentative to dig in. There seem to be two distinct camps of Shadow fans: those pining for another Endtroducing and those embracing his exploration of the Bay’s hyphy scene. I’m somewhere in the middle. For now.
